TYPHOID FEVER. 189 1 



surroundings, as old cellars, decomposing vegetable 

 matter, water containing decomposing matter, bad 

 drainage, poor ventilation, etc. These conditions are 

 responsible for many cases of prolonged sickness. 



The patient may be pale, emaciated and weak, with 

 more or less bloating and soreness along the digestive 

 tract. In some cases the soreness or over sensitive- 

 ness is not confined to any particular part, but is pres- 

 ent more or less in all parts of the body. All of these 

 conditions are accompanied by a fever, and sometimes 

 night-sweats. 



The conditions just enumerated are not only the 

 cause of typhoid fever, but of consumption also. There 

 may be curvature of the spine caused by weak muscles, 

 relaxed ligaments, and lying too long in one position. 



In all of these conditions there is a low form of in- 

 flammation along the mucous membrane lining the 

 digestive tract, and if the inflammation is severe enough 

 there will be degenerative changes in Peyer's glands. 

 It has been stated that when Peyer's glands are invaded 

 they are destroyed, and that when they are all de- 

 stroyed typhoid fever cannot occur again. That is 

 true, yet the same unhealthy condition may occur 

 again, and each time the symptoms of typhoid fever 

 will be present. 



If the digestive tract was kept in a healthy condi- 

 tion typhoid fever would be a thing unknown. So 

 would nearly all other forms of disease, for the pri- 

 mary cause is indigestion, followed by a lack of nour- 

 ishment, a lowering of the vital forces, the gradual 

 accumulation of poisons in the system, etc. 



