Typhoid Fever Outbreak, Brigham City 1929
In 1929, Joseph Greaves became quickly involved when typhoid fever was reported in Brigham City, Utah. The danger was high. A 1903 typhoid fever outbreak in Ithaca, New York caused 1,350 illnesses and 82 deaths. A 1924 typhoid fever outbreak in Long Island, New York resulted in 1,500 illnesses and 150 deaths. (Flynn, 2015)
Because Dr. Greaves was able to identify the source of the typhoid fever in Brigham City, the outbreak was limited to 20 illnesses and 4 fatalities.
Because Dr. Greaves was able to identify the source of the typhoid fever in Brigham City, the outbreak was limited to 20 illnesses and 4 fatalities.
"Many will remember in 1927 when there suddenly was a serious outbreak of
Typhoid fever in Brigham City. He, with another bacteriologist, was called to work
on the project and see if they could find what was the source…The water was tested
and found almost without exception to be positive in germ content. We then moved
up to the spring and samples were taken from the spring… but the spring water was
always negative... The problem was complex… After a second investigation I
decided to walk the water line. We walked about a mile and there we found
something…Just after the pipe line crossed the lawn by the first house[,] the water
had been disposed through a small septic tank. On investigation in that house we
found a young man who was definitely a carrier who had slept with another man
who had contacted the diseased… The house had been fitted with a water tank and
the water flowing through the septic tank out on the ground… directly into and
taking into the pipe line which was the water system for Brigham City….
It was through the work of Dr. Greaves that those samples were taken each day. He rushed back to make analysis and finally found that from this point down everything was positive. We met a situation that was a little difficult. The people couldn’t see germs so they did not believe they were there…Several people passed on, but I want to say that from this standpoint had it not been for his untiring effort and knowledge of bacteriology, his ability to make cultures and the untiring work he did back and forth to solve this problem, many more would have passed on." (Dr. William Peterson, 1954)
Typhoid fever in Brigham City. He, with another bacteriologist, was called to work
on the project and see if they could find what was the source…The water was tested
and found almost without exception to be positive in germ content. We then moved
up to the spring and samples were taken from the spring… but the spring water was
always negative... The problem was complex… After a second investigation I
decided to walk the water line. We walked about a mile and there we found
something…Just after the pipe line crossed the lawn by the first house[,] the water
had been disposed through a small septic tank. On investigation in that house we
found a young man who was definitely a carrier who had slept with another man
who had contacted the diseased… The house had been fitted with a water tank and
the water flowing through the septic tank out on the ground… directly into and
taking into the pipe line which was the water system for Brigham City….
It was through the work of Dr. Greaves that those samples were taken each day. He rushed back to make analysis and finally found that from this point down everything was positive. We met a situation that was a little difficult. The people couldn’t see germs so they did not believe they were there…Several people passed on, but I want to say that from this standpoint had it not been for his untiring effort and knowledge of bacteriology, his ability to make cultures and the untiring work he did back and forth to solve this problem, many more would have passed on." (Dr. William Peterson, 1954)