18 SEWAGE-POLLUTED OYSTERS AS CAUSE OF TYPHOID. 



near the front of a dwelling, but no dangerous source of pollution was 

 observed, 



Two samples of water were collected from this well on November 

 29, 1911, shortly after a rain. The bacteriological examination 

 showed the presence of gas-forming organisms of the B. coli type in 

 5 cc quantities, but not in 1 cc in either sample. 



The water from the well had been continually used, both before 

 and after the day ^f the banquet, by a large proportion of the child- 

 ren attending school nearby and by a number of local residents. 

 No illness of any description was ever attributed to drinking it, there- 

 fore the water used at the Minisink banquet could not be held respon- 

 sible for the epidemic following that occasion. 



GOSHEN MILK SUPPLY. 



The next general food supply to receive attention was the milk used 

 in Goshen and at the banquet on October 5. In general, the milk of 

 Goshen was furnished by four dairymen. According to the health 

 officer, no case of typhoid fever had occurred on any of the four dairy 

 farms during the entire season prior to the banquet. In fact, there 

 had been only five or six cases of typhoid reported in that whole town 

 and vicinity during the entire summer, and in most instances these 

 appeared to have been contracted while visiting away from home, 

 and were in families having no connection with the dairy farms. 



The milk and cream used at the Minisink banquet was furnished 

 from a number of local sources. It was donated in various quantities 

 by different individuals, and probably represented the entire source 

 of supply of the four dairymen on that date. Owing to the fact that 

 the cream and milk was largely used for the coffee and cooking, and 

 that no cases of illness followed the other dinners, it does not seem 

 probable that milk played any part whatever in the causation of the 

 epidemic following the Minisink banquet. 



CONSIDERATION OF THE MENU. 



A consideration of the menu served at the banquet showed that the 

 three articles, celery, ice cream, and oysters on the half shell, were 

 the only food products eaten on this occasion which in any way 

 could be held accountable for the spread of typhoid organisms. In 

 this connection, however, it may be well to mention that the tomato 

 salad served was made from fresh, whole, ripe, home-grown tomatoes, 

 which were prepared and handled in a cleanly manner. No widespread 

 epidemic of this character could have resulted from such a product. 

 Of the 100 guests made ill, 41 did not eat the tomato salad, 7 of the 17 

 who had typhoid fever, and 34 of the 83 who had diarrhea; so this 

 article was not the cause of the trouble. 



