, 1877-01-26
SCARLET-FEVER.
A Conference of Prominent Chi
cago Physicians.
Special Attention to Be Paid to the
Prevention Of Disease.
The Necessity Of Quarantining Patients
Insisted Upon.
Tho nayss Called On to Frt Good nan at tt.
Head of Tho Health Department.
CONFERENCE.

1hc prevalence Of scarlet fcver antl diphthcrla
in tho city, and tho failure Of tho Health Cosn-
missioner, Oil account Of a 1Rck OF funds, to Ito
anything townri mitigating the rayages of these
diseases, brought about meeting Of physicians
NJ tho Pacific Hotel Inst evening for the pur-
poso uf dcctlltr,g upon some uniform plan OF
procedure. Among tho 100 present wcro Drs.
1}yforl, 13iakc, 1a1am, Dodge, Mrvickar, Cue
ri1s, 1Iurlhurt, lsuttcr, Dcyan, simons, Parks,
knox, Mary Thompson, jackson, Etnmons,
Powell. starkwrathcr. llnmm!i, DcWoff, ltcn-
rotin, Williams, Ingalls,, Eaucl,, Chaflec, Saw.
yer, Jol,nson, anil Commissioner Wright.
On motion OF DR.. johnson, DR.. Hammill was
called to the cl,air, ur. Sawyer nctcd "a Sec
Rotary. ......
The Chairman stated that the object was to
aid the city authorities In diminishing the raw
ages Of tho diseases.
COMMISSIONER WRIGHT,
ly request, snti TINT his Object was to hare the
physicians decide upon some method for it,
dclously treating scarlet foyer and 1lpl,tl,cria-
Tho mortality hal hcen great for tlle past few
the Inst six. Fur three months 1t llal been es-
pceia!ly icary. The diseases had nssulnc'l II
malignant type. With complications. 1ialort-
~ Of physicians claimed TINT there was no
was nny preventive, in order that l,c might to
,ylsat he could with the little 1ncau4 at his COM
| tnanl IN that d!rccttun.
DR.. Fem inquired what districts Of the city
Commissioner Wright replied TINT II preyalletl
all over tho eity. The death ratu so far this
Montll wus Ito.
Dr. Ilen,otln wanted to know how he camo
to the conclusion that some physicians were
! more successful than others. ...-
Commissioner Wright said TINT there wcro
physicians with large practice who were suc-
cessfa! III the Treatment; Others were not; Fer
h1HH Tim trcrfEf1 H1I KHmEfE[tlT tn fIl with
| recovery.
Or, johnson asked how many patients each
| pl,yslc'an lad. anil how many recovered.
quite number nnd inadc srnrccly.a death re-
| turn; others reported one almost daily.
| Or. Earte read fomc statistics. There were
| 1aV deaths from diphthc1ia In October. Noycns-
bcr, and December, and $50 fros. scarlet fever.
Dr. l1cnru.in suggested that they discuss tho
Treatment md usc Ut remedies, and also tho
sanitary measures to be uloptct!. ....
Or. Dcvan remarked that tho public wcre
most Interested i1' prevention.
! . nlt. IEGAta
| said what they wanted to tlu was to prevent tho
disease, not u cure it. III that respect thvy had
Iecn Enng forward with eloscd eyes. lie lid
not 6elryc thesc was any ncccssity for having
| tho number Of eases which had characterized
this wtatcr. Tho public wcra not instructed as
y tho extreme contagiousness Of acar!ci fever.
oEgllt to !,c donc ,sas: placu tlu .pMtlcnas Iii.
der surveillance, a. was done with those afflicted
with smallpox, ,So.lrcs should bc put upon
s houses o rn This woud tech psopo estsr
When tilc cholera tnnlc Its appearances In Gilt
cago It was surrounded as n t!re, untl this stop
ped its spreading l!y not adopting precautions
lost. llu had doubt that xsarct~fevcr could
le carried one To auotlser. Every caso should
bc taken Charge Of, and ail persots excluded
tro tontast: Tc d:cas1 was certainly dis
| DN JOHNSON
did not thi11k 1nsith could lc donc by general
| discussion. committee should be appointed
t',rorlc,, in regard 70 The oriinsry 1nuie of
propagation of tho disease, and tbs methods
known to be most efficient for prevent
Ing its spread. There should also. he
present epllcnic.-to learn tho conditions Of
the city last full, and who Vas rcspousih!e for
! this murder Of tEe tnuocents. The guilt sccn-
cd to him distrihutcd. III q city of 10000 the
| self THO people OF Chicago had not apprc-
ciate,i tho Importance Of q thoroughly organ
lied and cIticicne santary department.. Tllere
| Dit. JACKSON
thought much could bo done ut oucc. Delays
were dangerous III this as In alt other cnlcrgell-
eies: There were tsso prevalent errors III Tho
public mind With regard to tho eontaytousness
of seaslct fever especially. and alao Of diph.hc-
ria; mud physlciai,s dcslrous of carrying out
sanitary measures found 1t alniost In
fossin!e TO BceHle tlo co-opclhtloti o1 LUG
patient autl Ills friends. Itt did not
bcliyya in belladonna Or tho sulphatcs as prc-
yenttycs. They would not prevent pronagation.
ar st ;r,, II .,' ~ '"o ~, ~ n.nI ~ ~. tt~,n.
Wy hSao a.k one ~ .a'st sts :" ~ & se.ame
VI the ussfase. soou many tA,hss, however
could tc lone to prevent /! pMtcnt from oecoin,
luz centre Gi contag3on, Il the physician would
give proper directions, and tho friends Of tho
| uatlent enabled him tu carry them out. lsoIa.
! linn. yrnfIjatinn. md rlea1Iincsa were nII.jin
nf,rt,nf. fin ti'ct, rrai Tie fOl,owinr nrf ract
~, Ait.,rs fir'n1t. % ~ stnlJ;,i"a. t
''u' m 1e'ns" .,s... ~. ~, y. ''sases
Thu m!asMrta os scarlet infcE cannot bo du'
| struyel BY fhnsatloM, hllhnngh much may bt
dane III this way " horouEh disnfectian With t!lt
fuMrs " nlttnas ac!h. Wills there can DO no GU
jccttan to using Tho nu1pho.carbo!sse Ut eo!u, ii
otaev drn:: which promise sven thn least aests'
u prevention lbellaaonna las brcn proven en-
! tiFrey worthless foE tns purp"h1l auon'
tho.e, who arc or llaTe bon etpotet
tn iha POISON, OUT Ghtcf rcl!nacc u
checking thy progress q tho d'aesso must bo place.
upon krratatso'.. ventilation. and c'caHllIes'
]. Ihe sick nt4en ana tho necessary atstAIant'
s,nala not comc In CONTACT or mlnse with health!
persuhH.
=. All wOGien articles, whether OF clothing, fur