The New York herald., 1874-10-31
DIPHTHERIA AND TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Will be found against prominent men OF this COM
munity.
DIPHTHERA AND TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Neoessity OF Thorough Sanitary super.
vision to Prevent tho Propagation OF
Contagious Diseases.
To THE EDIT0R OF THE HERALD:-
The remarks In the HERALD Q few days since on
the prevalence OF dphtherla suggests the ing uiry
why this disease has continued so long IN our
midst and what factors enter into its causaton
A glance at the reports OF the Registrar Of Vital
statistics or the deaths in this city during the
spring and summer months shows that there has
been q fearful havoc among infants and children
Of school age caused BY shose dreadful diseases,
diphthera and scarlet fever, there being more
than double the number of deaths caused by these
maladies during the time referred to than have
occurred In like period for many
years. And the reasons assigned by the
sanitary authorities for this increase Of infante
mortality, regret to say, are insu1aclent and I'M.
satisfactory. The causes heretofore stated oy the
Board OF health-namely, defective drainage and
unsantary condition OF the tenement houees-do
not, 1t seems to me, suf1lciently explain the un-
usual prevalence ct the present time OF these dis.
eases, as these elements existed before and since
the creation OF the Health Board. The HERALD,
Win ltb a6tutcucSSt IuutC6tSU very
clearly how proper sanitary measures might misi.
gate II not eradicate the diseases referred to, as
II must be admitted that dipntherla should be IN
clnded IN the category OF preventabie diseases.
as > cause Of me spread Of this malay
profession some time since relative to
the necessity o tue continuance oI medical inspec
Ssncs Of its p" In this might s BE-
asked What mas medical sanitary inspection done
for the health OF public school children This
seeIus pertinent to the subject now under discus
sion. few items viii sutlice to answer the In
Quiry. as the scope OF this communication win not
OF 1871 the Medical Ofiicer OF the Board OF Educa-
ton supervised the vaccination IN the schools OF
81 u Se 5 inc 70
Education and Health. During that fearful cpl
demic tthe most severe that we have had for
quarter OF q century, not death from that cause
occurred among the child, en- attending the public
schools Thorough inspections were made or the
means these premises were Kept In proper con-
ditiOn In az far as their unsanltRry Surroundings
cusnsy H made and nrged-nsmey, the @ REDUCTION Ion
IN the numbers OF pupils In tho class rooms OF the
lower grades, which were then and are now
largely In excess or the numbers allowed by the
bylaws OF the Board. A resolution was passed at
meeting OF the school Board IN the spring OF this
been here indicated. No further actlon, however,
was taken IN the matter, as the small primary
as so the
the intention TO abate.
0n snSS SSdr.S be Tns pS0n 70, ou.s. sss ,9s as
oonsa R as scs ssasss sns q
being allowed to return to school until their
houses were thoroughly disinfected this isolation
being accomplished without cOmmOt0n or excite
menI OF any kind It must be apparent to any IN.
telgent person that children living in tenement
~ contact s wa sss must
OF c0ntagiOn Our schools might become In this
way the centre Of the propagation OF epidemic
that diseases Of contagious character have been
carried from these schools during .he last lal and
Education % % Of Eimirs, in this State. at recent
meeting OF the Board October 10y, instructed
its medical oficer and teaoners to report to them
such sanitary defects In rne schools as In their
judgment are injurious to the ncalth OF the chill
dren, and adds In lts special report ON the sub
ject: 1.-THE people entrust US with the education
OF their children the implied faith being that we
will exercise u reasonable care to the health,ul-
extends beyond that OF simply aIordlng ample
school facilities Tor impartlnG knowledge. We
our control. at an age. TOO, when his highly sen
stttve organization Is very uscepribe to zymotic
Influences ready to absorb the seeds OF disease
that are found lurking IN vltated atmosphere,
liable to be rendered SO through our carelessness,
and their little bodies are constantly subjected to
the liability to deformity through the use Of I'm
proper sittings or restraints requiring con.
slant watcnIuiness upon our Iart to avoid any
else do we ail in the fuli measure OF our obiics,
tions to the children and their parents" II such
precautions are deemed necessary by the Board OF
Education OF Emira with an average attendance
OF 400 pupils, how much more so Is 1t the case In
the public schools OF this city, with 900 average
daily attendance of puptlsl
In view o. the Importance OF this subject, some
OF the most eminent physicians and the presidents
OF the principal medical ASSOCIATIONS in this city
the unanimous opinion OF the entire profession,
sent communication to the present Board OF
Education, ut lts irst meeting alter Its 0rganlza-
tion, recommending that the ONCE OF sanitary
the physical wel-betng OF the pupils would be
thereby benefited. 1t would reasonably be sup.
posed that such communication would receive
due consideration rom the school authorities.
is not an instance on record where the presidents
OF our medical associations addressed o like COM
munication to the Board Of Education In the inter-
est OF pubic nedlth. No notice whatever was
subject was ignored, and the schools have been
ever since without any proper sanitary care,
Without IL might be said, any provision against
the exposure OF the children to diphtnerta
action Is painfully manifested In the increase OF
these maladies, which can be prevented In 80 far
as school contaglon may De concerned.
Compulsory education Will increase the ottcn.
dance Of the pubic schools especially In the
primary departments. This necessarily must In
crease the liability to contract disease and aggra-
vate the perils OF the schooiroOm The parents OF
these children have the right TO expect aud de.
mand that every safeguard shall be used to protect
tine health OF their children during school hours.
Any Board OF Education that falls IN this respect
Is derelics o. duty. Indeed, 1t would be impossible
to enforce the law without these requirements
are attended 10. PHYSICIAN.
NEW YORK, Oct &c. 1874
INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION COMPANY.