Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-28

u.
PARENTS DO-PEoPLE WHO ARE EITHER CARE
LESS OR CRIMINAL--A DOCTOR WHO HAS SOME
THING To SAY ABOUT METHOD OF EXTENDING
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
This is bad weather" observed a business
man as he entered his office, the other day. and
alter bidding general good morning all around
proceeded TO divest himself of his overshoes
AMI dripping oyerc0at As he settled himself
down in his Office chair he remarked to a STAR
reporter:
"My children wont lie out in it. that is one
good thing. Every cloud has silver lining,
you know. and under such circumstances a
mouse ltjIl OF children sick with the measles is
not 50 bad. They would have to stay home
iroIa school any way. and they are more con-
tented To stay in the house when it rains
lit is surprising" lie continued, pulling out
some papers from a drawer how many child
rem have tie Ineasesin my neghborhood. There
must DC fifteen or twenty families that have it,
, and III some cases hat is called measles is
. really scarlet fever
Your neighborhood must look like a men
a%erie IN winter quarters with all the children
Gagged up, suggested the reporter.
Il wish to gracious that they were all Gagged
up was the earnest rcjoInder. But some
people don't seem to care They send their
children to school, unless they are too sick to
get out Of bed. and they seem to be indifferent
10 the effect upon other children. Now. when
my Chiitfen began TO snow symptoms OF measles
Kept them away from school. | know other
| people tildt sGndtheir measiy Chitdren-l am not
Joking, he demonstrated. as the listener smiled
at the new Use OF the adjective
But it is Il fact" he continued. There are
Children VINO are sent to our public schools who
carry with them the cOntagi0n of some disease
IKE this. and their parents are too selfish or
too indifferent to keep them home until the
danger OF conta@iOn is passed.
/ The last few words fell from his lips in a
/ rather d!siolnted manner indicating that his
/ mental grip on domestic affairs was slowly
Yielding to the more absorbing interest OF his
business. and so the visitor left him.
WHAT DOCTOR SAID.
| The reporter. however. could not help think
ing OF what he had heard, mainly because it
put parents in the novel attitude of aiding con-
tagious diseases in their work. When he met a
doctor, who has an extensive family practice in
all parts of the city. naturally the question that
| arose to his lips was
doctor Is there much scarlet fever in the
city,
NO. there Is not so much scarlet fever" was
the reply, but there aGe q good many cases of
measles They are very general throughout the
city"
Il suppose the children with measles are not
allowed TO attend the public schools by their
parents. remarked the reporter
AS a rule they are not and they never ought
! to be- replied the doctor but some parents
| are very careless and think that some don't
care. and 40 they allow their children. with the
disease hron them. to mingie with Others
| think that most OF the contagious diseases are
spread in this way"
''Oi course" he continued "mensIes are not
DANGEROUS. ana suppose some persons do not
regard them Of any more Importance than colds
1t Is inconyenieit, and other children ought not
To be sub ectGd to receiving even the measles at
ms 'ty- Il IN,
/ understand this. and keep their children
home. But because OF the people who don't
care and send thelr children to school with
dlptthcria, scarlet fever and other CONTAGIOUS
diseases. l say that there should be some law
enacted Imposing penalty upon such parents"
Il would propose" he went on. THAT
physicians should be required to report al cases
OF CONTAGIOUS diseases to the health officer and
no one from that house allowed to attend the
public schools without q medical certificate
That would be something Of check but don't
know that 2ny law could restrain persons who
are capable Of doing such things" and with this
indignant conclusion the doctor gathered up his
rells and the horse started brSklyup the street
Country EFoas,c> Around Washington,
To tie Editor of The EyINI2,ci STAR:
miles Greenwood a name that commands
respect from all wlh knew the man. has given
your readers a very Interesting article in your
issue OF 1le 2lst i'll relation to the advantage Of
/ country MONIES around Washington. He RECON-
mend5 the building Of narrow-gaucel railroads
radating from the city to secure them. Beyond
doubt they are 'an0ng the things that will
be- not. however, until taste for country
homes is more prevalent than at this time.
Baltimore is awakening to the advantages pOr-
trayed. as shown in the recent construction Of
the road to IOwsontoWn. Until at least the
lines OF railroads now running trains out of
| 40 oil, chaI
upon them, it would hardly be paving invest
ment TO build other railroads TO establish rural
| population. Towards Rockville attempts are
being made to establish rural populations along
the Metropolitan. also at Hyattsville on the
railroad to Baltimore. Beyond at College sta
ton, at Branchyile. at Ammendale where the
Christian Brothers are located. at Muirkrk and
AT Laurel, Where considerable village exists,
are beautiful building sites. convenient to the
stations, to be had at very low prices. This
region has been unustly decreed as unhealthy. as
is shown by The fact that fifty persons resident for
the past three years at the establishment of the
Christian Brothers have not had single case of
nalarial or other fever; nor, indeed, Il serious
illness OF any kind. and invalids are sent there
from Rock Hill college 1T Ellicott City, and other
points. III every case with marked advantage.
The Washington & Potomac railroad has offered
great Inducements to persons to locate along
their lire as yet with very Indifferent success.
The other railroads, however have shown an
extraordinary indifference 20 securing a country
population, ana hence the line of the Washing
ton branci. Of the Baltimore d Ohio railroad. al
though established now Just half century, pre-
s2nted thr.ftieSS appearance and few Comfort
able looking country homes are seen until Lau-
rel is reached. This Indifference on the part of
the railroad to securing a country population
has been met ny an equal Indifference On the
part OF the plttic as is shown from the fact that
no advertisements are found either in Baltimore
or Washington papers, asking information as to
building sites along that line of railroad This
railroad has school children's communication tick
cts for sale. The parents and the school teacher
sign an agreement, and then the cost of the
ticket is found to be greater than the ordinary
comnu alton ticket for an adult Country
people call this ''fooling." A. d.
Defects ia thc District System Of Book.
keeping.
| To the Editor Of THE Evening STAR:
Your notices of the recent improvements in
the manner of keennp the District arcOunt,