Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-08

all that has been done towards
confining the spread of diphtheria /
has been mere talk. How long |
the remedy will be confined to mere |
talk no one can tell. 1t is hard to ac-
count for the apathy OF the City Council
in this matter, and when one looks at the |
matter calmly and without passion, the |
conclusion is reached that the members
OF the Council cannot fully realize the
great danger threatening the people
OF this city. That the city has power to
pass such ordinances as may be deemed
necessary TO preserve the health
OF the city or to prevent the spread
OF contagious disease is certain.
They have ample power to make the
most stringent regulations, and it is time
they were making them. Why the Coun-
Gil should be so apathetic and dilatory is
incomprehensible, for the question OF an
effectual quarantine is not question OF
politics at all. Death and disease invade
the homes of all alike, be they Mormon
or be they Gentle. A man, or body OF
men, who has the power to prevent death
to his fellow men and does not use that
power to prevent such death, is TO the ex-
tent of his non-interfcrence an accessory.
The City Council have absolute power to
quarantine all diphtheria 80 as to
prevent its spread, and if they
fail to use that power to
check the spread OF diphthera and
death, they are, so to speak, murderers
OF their kind, How are they guilty? In
this way. They are paid out of the public
treasury to regulate and control the COM
mon affairs of the public composing the
city's population, and they are given
such powers by the city charter as may
be necessary to accomplish the object for
which they are paid. Their first and
most important duty is to protect the
lives and property OF the citizens, and
in no way is the health and
life of the citizen SO liable to
attack as through bad sani-
tary condition OF the town. That
such condition exists here all too
well know. The city is honeycombed
with cesspools, and there is absolutely no
requirements as to the cleaning out of the
closets and such like places. Throughout
the town are sinking pig-styes which are
fully as unhealthy as the cesspools and
closets. The streets are never cleaned,
and carrion is often allowed to remain
upon them for weeks. Is all this suf-
ficient cause for i'll health and the breed
ing OF disease? If no measures are
taken to improve the sanitary condition
OF the town, in few years the
people may expect typhoid fever to
be common and ever present.
Now, why are the City Council to blame
, for all this? Because they alone have
the power and authority to remedy this
state of things. These things are among
, the general causes OF diphtheria, but now
, for some OF the particular causes. In the
, mouth OF City Creek canyon there is a
, family stricken with diphtheria, and
one young lady is so low with it that it
is not expected she will recover. The
name OF the family is Musser Yesterday
, afternoon a young boy belonging to the
family and resident at the house
l where the diphtheria now is, was
| upon Main street and was con
stantly mingling and coming in con
tact with people who were attending
!, to their affairs. We did not see him our.
r selves, but were told by a gentleman who
r works in the Utah Central Railway
5 office, where the young boy referred t.
came to see friend. Who is responsible,
for the presence of this boy on the streets
| when he had just come from Il house
, where diphtheria is raging? The Cit.
{ Council, because the City Council do no
enact and enforce proper quarantine
! ordinance. No inmate OF house wher
4 any contagious disease is raging shoul,
be allowed to go upon the street
$ and mingle with people until the inmate
OF such houses shall all be perfectly cureC
from diphthera and the house and ever,
: | pSiSoii anu tiililS uDOul ~ SIllll Dc lIlOTO
f ughly disinfected. To merely hang out
: yellow flag to warn people not to go to
/ certain house is no protection against tn
$ spread OF disease ii the inmates OF tina
: house are allowed to go when and wher
$ they please. Some may say that to com
: pei people to remain at certain place 70
i a week or so, or perhaps month, is
e great hardship and wrong. Is it no
: a hardship and wrong to allo,
e these same people to spread disease AM
h death among those who are unaware q
' the danger there is in the presence G
V such persons? The City Council ough
V to act in this matter Immediately and no
v wait from one week to another fora com
l. mittee to report. Decency, humanity an
d the citizens demand that stringent meas
Il ures be taken to stop the spread OF diph
# liberia.
ga RAnICAU GIIRE EnJ DnI VI!