The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-10-15 00:00:00

Eke Stourbrig eb.serVer

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1887.

THE SPREAD OF SCARLET FEVER.

leostnoN is just now suffering from an alarm-
iii' visitation of zyunotic disease. There are
two thousand patients lying ill ot scarlet
fever in the public hospitals, not to speak of
the many cases in private dwellings which
have not been brought to the knowledge of
the. sanitary authorities. It behoves London,
in this painful state of things, to exercise
the utmost care lest the epidemic should.
assume immensely more dire proportions.
There should be, we hold, compulsory regis-
tration of infectious disorders, with powers
afforded to the health authority to direct the
removal of every patient to a hospital,
public or private, if he cannot be so isolet-d
at home as to preTent the contagson being
carried into other homes, and also to lessen
the danger of further members of the same
family being smitten down. The compul-
sory powers of removal, which we would
have follow compulsory registration, should
be hedged about with all possible safeguards,
sce as not to admit of harshness or injustice,
or to place people who have proper accom-
modation at home for fever cases at the
bidding the medical sanitary inspector.
Bat those who, cruelly kind, would keep
these dear ones, stricken with a poison-ex-
haling malady, under their own care in small,
ill-ventilated rooms, where others also live,
rather than have them temporarily taken
away to the care of skilled nurses and
physicians in specially prepared and spacious
hospital wards should not be allowed, how-
ever painful the parting might prove, to
have their way. The registration might b
law be made Obligatory, under similar penal-
ties to those provided for in cases of death
or birth, upon the parents, guardians,
or next-of-kin of the patients. It would be
imposing too heavy a task, perhaps, upon
the hard-worked medical men who move
among the poor, to exact -trona them the
service to the State of 'reporting to a sanitary
local authority every case of fever which
came under their cognisance; but if such a
practice were found feasible, so much the
better for the thoroughness of the plan we
suggest, and so much the more likely its
success. Every precaution should be taken,
too, that the great hospitals were so.con-
ducted as to inspire confidence in the minds
of those related to sufferers that their afflicted
friends would be kindly and tenderly treated
at the time they were being made compul-
sory subjects of the curative regime. And
in the case of private hospitals, to 'which
patients whose friends could afford to pay
for the benefits derived might have the
option of sending fever subjects, an effieient
system of supervision by competent public
health inspectors might well be instituted
for the protection of the people, both in a
sanitary and general sense. There should
always, however, be in each neighbourhood
entlicient hospital accommodation for every
need, so that such alarm-arousing epidemics
as we have now and again to encounter
might be provided against. Hospital room,
sonce, famished, would avail for visitations
of smallpox, cholera, or other infectious dis-
orders that experience tells us we, must look
for from time to +dine ; and being thus ade-
quately prepared beforehand. We should be
spire 1 tae pain.ful feelins. of fear day by
day that all obtainable. bels would be occu-
pied thar Loildoa and otliAe placeß htve h
‘yheneve • a wave of contagion has pi: s
'rho plahlic hospital, whether support ei by
the State or by the voluntary saimeriptioni
d ties peop'e, ought always to have its doors
qii„ei to " Cie masses "; and receipt of its
lien'efite i.)y- a ratepayer, or One of his family.
should not be construed as auperisution or
as in any way- affecting the rights and
pyierileges of citizenship. In coetassioue
o.sease cases should be trg acid gratuitously
for t:I.; g)o.1 of tlu e yrvia laity as wAI as in
belioef ef the pttiini ; in the .s ime way
tb.st cenpulsoey vase:estti. ui need not cost
its recipient a penny. Bat, hz,y-ond all this
is imp >ssible that Cie neeessity for not
n.)gleeting sanitlti _4l. in any respect can he
atree•ste isisted on, whethee in regard
t. c,leanliaess o: h niee (e- p,m-son or with re-
:: t ) dietary, elleieut yea' ilation, freedo;r
ream nesious vapouis, or the copious eapply
Of wiaoleseme water for domestic uses and
itriain:?, purposes. Prevention is always
ber.ter than cure, and it need ha/lily be
reiterated, a!, this t'ene of days, ;hat of aui
hreed3ra ae i ha;-:flarers of disease none or
so dangerous and ileuelly Os htTt. I lVcould
only banis.l imptt...i-y from the homes of tlis
people we s!,,,a;(i ii• ce.ipple
11-1 pwer of Cp sueo d isease, and we niiga
r i" ,)' tc,gei her.
i_even Ify! in tint! t ; tul
o.le. woels,,i)fno app iiiO or , arisiug
scark:t ie ger v;sitati
;Tie-re-are in)re than 400 p
).1.1.);14.;; . it.; •e•it,
fep-ke ho--;`-dir:i I, that at Winch :! ~•• •
:;;F, !)esi 1 these- ma _she oteser honors o:

- - •
Of th ithe capital
frotu Lliilttnne.4 :1!1 i their play
thosJ •),.r.l htV lir Hy a toy o.'
pictace-l-;ook 4,31:3,11g theLn wherew:th t
wilu away the weary hours of weakut:ss
T:iere are plenty or cast-off toys and disre-
o.,,r,led illustrated papers and books in nearly
home. Who will take the hint mil
pttrcel to :sliss 'l34ker, of the Metropo-
..:; Ln Asylums I3oard, Norfolk Street, Stra,nd?
1:;1(Jroby many a thrill of pleasure may be
xittat smfal 'cost to gladden the sick child-
.,en, and tleir smiles, with the aense of a
looti tioed done, will be a rii.l re.ward: