THE TYPHOID OUTBREAK.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2481, 17 May 1909, Page 5

THE TYPHOID OUTBREAK.

Dr HYDE INTERVIEWED,

Our reporter interviewed Dr Hyde, the resident surgeon of the Dunstan Hospital, this morning as Ito the condition oF the typhoid ( patients in the institution and as to i the general aspect of- the outbreak, j The Doctor said speaking geni erally there is a fair improvement I shown by the patients this morning. 1 There was a fall in temperature all round which would indicate that several were affected at or about the same time, and are now going on as well as can be expected. There have been no serious complications which are the chief dangers of typhoid. The fatal case (that of Muir who died last Thursday) was unfortunately complicated, and had been treated for the complication before admission. 1 here are now six patients in the institution, four males and two females. Asked if he had anything to communicate for the public information the Doctor stated that he wished to contradict the report that Dipthcria existed in Clyde and Earnscleugh, and in this connection he had wired to the ‘ Otago Daily Times’ contradicting a report to that effect which had appeared in one of its recent issues. In his experience of 22 years at Clyde no typhoid case had originated here. There was nothing the matter with Clyde, and really the Public Health Department and the public press have published so much for the guidance of the public that he felt some diffidence in adding to theD enlightenment. There is one thing, however, where danger does arise, and it is caused with the very best intentions. Everybody rushes to clean up, and naturally enough drains are the first thing to be attacked. Now more danger may be caused by uncovering a drain than by leaving it alone, unless the work is gone about properly. A plentiful supply of disinfectant should be scattered over the surface and as each layer of earth is removed disinfect again. Gather all the muck into a heap, have a pit dug ready for its reception and cover it over with a liberal coating of earth. The use of pits is the safest means of disposing of possibly infected matter in a district such as this where there are no wells for domestic water.

What about the source of the outbreak. - Well it is over two weeks since typhoid was announced and I am waiting with what patience I can command for the result of the analysis of the milk and water. Nothing would tend more to allay the public apprehension than a discovery of the source of infection. I have not time to go into the history of the various outbreaks of typhoid in this district but any of the old residents of Alexandra who think will have observed the effect of the thorough cleaning out of the Chatto Creek race on the prevalancc of typhoid. I refer to the cleaning out of this race in connection with the floating of the Molyneux Hydraulic Company. If Alexandra got no dividends it was well paid by the result of that cleaning out. The harmless necessary cow is often unjustly blamed. There is rarely anything the matter with the cow. If infection is traced to the milk supply it is 1000 to 1 that it arises either from the milker or the insanitary conditions prevailing at the byre or dairy, and most possibly with the necessary water used.