1893-1894 - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

196 ATPEXDIX.
began dying of typhoid fever. They could not locate the
cause, but finally somebody suggested that they look into
the milk supply of the town. It was found that the people
who had died of typhoid fever, and who had it in
their families, all patronized a certain milk dairy. They
supposed the typhoid fever originated there.
At first they
could not discover anything wrong. On examination of
the dairy it was found to be perfectly clean, and everything
seemed to point to cleanliness. Some one asked where the
milk-cans were washed.
were washed in a well of
It was discovered that these cans
water that had not been used for
years. The milk was all right when it started, but these
cans were washed in an old well that was found to be alive
with the germs of typhoid fever. We say that typhoid
fever can only come by drinking impure water, but it is
not so."
Dr. Whitehead then moved that an adjournment be
made until 3:15 p. m. This motion was carried, and the
morning session adjourned at 1:10 p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon session convened at 3:30 p. m., and was
called to order by the President, Dr. Bahnson. He then
introduced Dr. R. H. Lewis, of Raleigh, who read a paper
entitled " Drinking Water in Relation to Malarial Diseases":
DRIXKING WATER IN ITS RELATION TO MALARIAL
DISEASES.
BY RICHARD II. LEWIS, M. D., OF RALEIGH, SECRETARY OF THE NORTH
CAROLINA BOARD OF HEALTH.
Many years ago the writer of this paper, before he had heard or read
anything suggesting or supporting the view that malarial diseases were
introduced into the system through the medium of drinking water, had
his attention called to it in a striking manner by a statement of facts on
the part of a relative living in one of our eastern towns.