76 TYPHOID FEVER 



five to ten days. In still water it may continue to live for a much 

 longer time. In dead ends of water pipes it may linger for many 

 days; indeed, the statement is made that it has been found in dead 

 ends months after the infection of the general supply has disappeared. 

 Of course, the water is infected with the excretions of man. 



Typhoid infection is widely distributed by boats and cars. At 

 present there is no attempt to disinfect the waste from the water- 

 closets on either of these vehicles of transportation. Some years ago 

 when on account of a break in the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, many 

 downward-bound boats were detained above the intake of the city's 

 water-supply, an explosive outbreak of typhoid developed. From rail- 

 road trains fecal matter is scattered along the roadbed and sometimes 

 this is specifically infected. This filth may be washed into water- 

 supplies or it may be scattered in dust to infect workers on the road 

 and even travelers on trains. The prevalence of typhoid fever is 

 not a credit to any community and is an indication that filth finds its 

 way into the mouths of the inhabitants. 



It is estimated that, taking into consideration the distribution of 

 typhoid fever over a large area and for a long time, about 5 per cent. 

 of it is due to the infection of milk. The bacilli multiply rapidly in 

 milk until it sours. Whether or not pasteurized milk may contain the 

 living bacillus depends on the temperature used in the process and the 

 thoroughness with which it is carried out. A temperature of 62 C. 

 for five minutes is not enough to insure the destruction of this organ- 

 ism in milk. This is the temperature at which this process was for- 

 merly generally carried out, and at which it is now sometimes done. 

 In an improved process the temperature is carried to 85 C., which is 

 high enough to destroy this virus in milk in one minute. In butter 

 this bacillus can live for weeks. 



Attention has already been called to the house fly as a distributor 

 of this disease. In some sections of this country the crusade against 

 this pest has not been pushed with sufficient energy and it is still in 

 evidence both in the privy vault and in the dining room. Ants and 

 other insects distribute fecal matter deposited on the earth and may 

 carry the infection to plants and fruits. 



