Typhoid Fever 59 



within the past twenty-five years. The evidence as to 

 the relation of typhoid fever and drinking-water is 

 further strengthened by a mass of statistics showing a 

 marked decrease of typhoid since the introduction of 

 better water-supplies in the cities. 



There is an enormous amount of data that might be 

 added to the above as further proof of the intimate 

 connection existing between drinking-water and typhoid 

 epidemics, yet enough has already been said to bring 

 out the importance of this relation. 



Other sources of typhoid infection. — It should not be 

 supposed that drinking-water is the only source of in- 

 fection, or even the only important source. Milk has 

 been repeatedly shown to be a very serious source of 

 infection, and uncooked vegetables, fruit, and oysters 

 have undoubtedly served as carriers of the disease. 

 There is scarcely a doubt, likewise, that flies have often 

 been responsible for the spread of the disease, particu- 

 larly in army camps. This will explain why the greater 

 care of the water-supplies is not always followed by a 

 corresponding decrease in the number of typhoid fever 

 cases, as is demonstrated, for instance, by the experience 

 of Washington, D. C, and of Youngstown, Ohio. 



Other diseases arising from use of impure water. — 

 Apart from cholera and typhoid, the use of polluted or 

 otherwise impure water may induce serious intestinal 

 disturbances as a result of the activities of other bacteria. 

 Outbreaks of dysentery of serious proportion are not 

 uncommon in camps. 



The better care of drinking-water has been responsible 

 for a very marked decrease in the ravages of dysentery 



