Drank Millions of Typhoid Bacilli

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 12, 21 March 1908, Page 13

Drank Millions of Typhoid Bacilli

• DOCTOR’S DRAUGHT FROM THE WRONG GLASS. A story of a medical man who drank millions of typhoid bacilli by mistake was told during the hearing of the action brought by Dr. Fergusson, the proprietor of a Malvern hydro, against the local council, in connection with the contamination of a private water supply and an outbreak of typhoid. Dr. Thresh, an authority on typhoid, said the typhoid bacillus was so minute that the number of bacilli in a drop of water might equal the whole population of the world. “I have swallowed millions of them,” •he declared cheerfully. “How did you like them ?” inquired the judge, with evident curiosity. “Well,” the doctor replied, “for three weeks I enjoyed the pleasure of imagination, and when those three weeks had passed and nothing happened I felt happy. "The thing occurred accidentally. I was testing water which was said to contain typhoid bacilli. The weather was very hot, and one day I swallowed a glass of water. Then I discovered that I had drunk the water in which I had put the typhoid germs.” Miss A. Beott said she visited the hydro in charge of a patient. “Did you bring an action against Dr. Fergusson?” asked counsel. “No,” she answered. “I swept him from my memory.” Did your patient get typhoid?—No; he was over seventy years of age and always took a little whisky iu the water. Miss Scott added that the bad water at the hydro sickened her with the whole affair. “Did you complain to Dr. Fergusson?” counsel inquired. “No,” she retorted; “he would have charged me a guinea.” Mr Coulter, a barrister, stated that he and his wife were both taken ill with typhoid at the hydro, and his wife died. He received £7OO from Dr. Fergusson. Dr. Joshua said that when he was called in to consult with Dr. Fergusson in the case of a visitor to the hydro, he was not informed of the other cases of illness or of the bad water. Dr. Fergusson pooh-poohed the idea of typhoid. "I consider that he was careless in the treatment of the case,” Dr. Joshua stated, and that he intended to deceive me.” The hearing was adjourned. <S> <s>