Probably no epidemic in American history better illustrates the dire results that may follow one thoughtless act than the outbreak of typhoid fever at Plymouth, Pa., in 1885. In January and February of that year the night discharges of one typhoid fever patient were thrown out upon the snow near his home. These, carried by spring thaws into the public water supply, caused an epidemic running from April to September. In a total population of about 8,000, 1,104 persons were attacked by the disease and 114 died.
Like plants and animals, disease germs vary in their powers of resistance. Some are hardy, others succumb easily. Outside the body most of them probably die in a few days or weeks. It is never certain when such germs may not lodge where the immediate surroundings are favorable to their life and reproduction. Milk is one of the common substances in which germs multiply rapidly. The experience at Northampton shows that typhoid-fever germs may survive several months in garden soil. Laboratory tests by the United States Public Health Service showed that typhoid-fever germs had not all succumbed after being frozen in cream 74 days. (Public Health Reports, Feb. 8, 1918, pp. 163-166.) Ravenel kept the spores of anthrax immersed for 244 days in the strongest tanning fluids without perceptible change in their vitality or virulence. (Annual Report, State Department of Health, Mass., 1916, p. 494.)
=Unsafe practices.=--Upon thousands of small farms there are no privies and excretions are deposited carelessly about the premises. A place of this character is shown in figure 1. Upon thousands of other farms the privy is so filthy and neglected that hired men and visitors seek near-by sheds, fields, and woods. A privy of this character is shown in figure 2. These practices and conditions exist in every section of the country. They should be abolished.
[Illustration: Fig. 1.--One of many farms lacking the simplest sanitary convenience]
Deserving of severe censure is the old custom of conveying excrements or sewage into abandoned wells or some convenient stream. Such a practice is indecent and unsafe. It is unnecessary and is contrary to the laws of most of the States.
Likewise dangerous and even more disgusting is the old custom of using human excrement or sewage for the fertilization of truck land. Under no circumstances should such wastes be used on land devoted to celery, lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, cabbages, tomatoes, melons, or other vegetables, berries, or low-growing fruits that are eaten raw. Disease germs or particles of soil containing such germs may adhere to the skins of vegetables or fruits and infect the eater.