, 1879-06-29
mo POISON THERE.
The Public Library Board on Con-
tagion Through Books.
4 Report Which Must Certainly Re-
= assure the Pablic.


Daniel L. Shorey, presided.
Miss LIE "a 4. Elkins rendered her resignation
as assistant Of the Library, and it was accented
W. J. Onahan, Of the, Especial Committee OF
Permanent Building, reported that the Commit
tee deemed it entirely inexpedient to occup,
rooms In the new Ctty-Hal, and asked for fur
ther time to confer with the Mayor with refer
ence to the matter. The report was accepted
and the time was granted.
| DR.. F. c. Hotz, OF the Committee appointed
to consider the question whether books circu-
lated by the ublic Library transmit or are in
| any dancer OF ,.
! TRANSMITTING CONTAGIOUS DISEASES m THE
t COMMUNITY,
! submitted the following report, which was
| adopted, and the press requested to publish It:
The Committee appointed to consider the ques-
tion whether books circulated BY the Public Lii
hrary transmit or are in danger OF transmitting,
contagious diseases In the community, beg leave
to report: 3
Although the question came before the Board
az suggestion unsupported oy any known In
sufficient Importance to deserve attention; and
especially rs report OF the meeting ut which 1t
was discussed was printedfn the duly newspapers.
II there be any appreciable danger from the cause
suggested, 1t IL well to- know 1t, and provide II
T possible remedy; and If there be none, the
piclon even Of danger ought to be removed.
l. AZ no facts tending to solve the question afrma-
lively were in possession either OF the members Of
the Board or ut the. officers Of the Library, the
Committee deemed It advisable to make inquiries
of medical and sanitary experts Of established
reputation In different parts Of tho country OF the
librarians OF the largest circulating braries and 10
make thorough investigation. The Committee have
received nineteen letters. which they herewith Inv
before tho Board as i paFt Of this report The
writer's who have responded to their inquiries from
Samuel i: Green, II. B., Boston. CITY Pbystcian;
Oscar G: De Vol, Il. D., Chicago, Commissioner
T.ansssts msaa p snn Guns If II hasn Iii nsa9 g
Hss5; john St|nss g % r. sa5ssen ss fgaa s.
Ss;assiSa s. %e{s
dencs. r r.. Charles F: Folsom. ii. b, score
Harris, H.. D., New York City. ex-President
board Of Health; Hoamer A. johnson. N. D.,
Chicago. United; statca Board Of Health; N. s.
cheasa RasS sdica M r{ai cosss ho
ert ii. 1ooker. Il. D.. Chicago, Professor in no-
meogathic College; Norman Bridge, MD, chica-
The librarians who have responded are as fol-
lows: Justin Winsor, Librarian Of Boston Public
5saaa 81 hafya1a TSfs
brarJ; William T. Peoples, Librarian OF New
York Mercantile Library; Henry Baetz, Librarian
Of Milwaukee Public Library. The tnrec libraries
first named and our own, are the four largest cir
culating libraries in the country.
No one Of these nineteen wrters has any fact
was over impaired by book from q circulating
library: None has ever read Of heard of any, eI-
cept DR.. Billings Of Washington, who says:
propagation, although lremember to have read an
account OF the transmission Of scarlet fever some
where in London, by the books OF circulating
On the question whether 1t is possible for con-
agious diseases to be transmitted by BOOKS letters
ste nns ot the medical n 1h them
Wolf. johnson, Plunket, Folsom, Snow. Baker,
Billings, White and schmltt; three Drs. Harris,
such transmission. think the danger to be- very
small; two, Drs. Lyman and Tooker, do not be-
feve in the theory Of such transmission; and one,
presses no opinions on the theoretical points lie
has neen City Physician OF Boston for ten ycars.
lie SAYS: II have never known an instance where
tagtous diseases we're carried BY books in crcula-
tion from the Public Library. Throughuut this
vailed IL this city. and Il sss ny ocai aaty see
every patient and to trace, II possible, the history
Qf the case. In no instance was able to connect
Library. At that time one OF the Trustees OF
the matter, As The same question had been raised
Dr.. johnson says: s.As a mat:er of fact 1t !,
not very likely that persons afflicted with measles.
scarlet-fever, or smallpox, will use or handle |
darkened. The probability, therefore. Of propa |
eatiHn ey such means s not fact is quite
Dr plunlct, Of Tennessee, instances a case to
sho y that contagious diseases may be transmitted
by q book. Ten years ago be had patient with
small -pox which he concluded WAS communicated /
by book borrowed from = family which had re-
Gently had the disease. ~. :"
cdr: Baker, Of Michigan, refers to i case in the
from one family to another BY book;
and also to case where it was transmitted by
letter.
d.. Do Wolf, Health Commissioner OF Chicago
to |