TYPHOID FEVER IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
57 
suffering with typhoid fever. In a good many instances we were 
informed by the members of the families of the patients that they 
had received no instruction from their physicians regarding care of 
the patients’ dejecta, and we learned of some instances in which 
attending physicians had had the patients’ attendants stop the intel- 
ligent use of carbolic acid or chlorinated lime and use instead some 
patented preparation, somewhat more aesthetic, perhaps, but cer- 
tainly of very much less efficiency than one of the standard and 
cheaper germicides. 
Of other measures to prevent spread of infection — such as treat- 
ment of clothing, bedding, dishes, etc., used by patients, and care of 
the hands of persons attending patients — the precautions carried out 
for 212 of the cases were fairly efficient, for 270 inefficient, and for 10 
not stated. 
To sum up the epidemiological findings: 
Cases. 
Percent- 
age. 
Infection contracted out of the District of Columbia 
129 
14. 89 
Infection attributed to milk or ice cream 
85 
9. 81 
Infection attributed to contact 
54 
6.23 
Accounted for 
. 268 
30. 93 
Unaccounted for 
598 
69. 07 
Total 
866 
100. 00 
Or considering only the 747 cases, of which 681 undoubtedly and 
66 probably, contracted the infection in the District of Columbia, 
we have- — 
• 
Cases. 
Percent- 
age. 
Attributed to infection by milk or ice cream 
85 
54 
11.3 
7.3 
Attributed to infection by contact 
Accounted for 
139 
608 
18.6 
81.4 
Unaccoimted for 
Total 
747 
100. 00 
