St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-26
The OUNCE OF PREVENTION.

The perplexitieS that beset the guard
fans of health cannot be too thoroughly
understood by the'public. 1t is an I'M
contradicted fact that more sickness is
caused by negligence and carelessness
than from all other causes combined.
1t is therefore the duty of the citizens to
comply with the rules and regulations
adopted by professional men who have
devoted years to the study and practice
of medicine. To the ignorant
timing and treating contagious
and infectious diseases is nothing more
or less than farce. The writer will go
so far as to say that there are even men
in Minneapolis who attach the prefix
"Dr." to their name, that utterly ignore
(When poSSible) the laws of the health
department, which were compiled from
opinions of the highest authorities In
the medical profession. They not only
diSobey the laws that they have given
oath to abide with, but they criminate
themselves by encouraging the Ignorant
TO be contumaciOus and to utterly dis
regard all rules emanating from the
health department. This is delightful
dilemma for city whose progress out
shines all others perhaps in the
history Of civilization. Are these
quacks TO have their own way
and jeOpardize the lives Of
citizens? Not if Health Commissioner
kilvington has his usual say. The COM
missioner is not so naughty and preten-
tious as he is frequently represented by
prejudiced individuals, who would
rather pay SO for medicine than 10
cents for preventive. Several phySi-
clans whose names are tolerably well
known to a certain class of citizens
have air ady faced the 'lion in his
den" just what the energetic Kill
vington had TO say at these secret ill
Struction meetings" is unknown TO the
outer world, but ii is rumored that the
listeners were greatly impressed at his
wonderful magnetism, and that here
after they will carry a copy of the
health code in their medical chest.
The commissioner says though some
may adjudge him as ofiicious and over
bearing, he will require strict enforce
ment of the laws, especially those relat-
ing to the contagious and infectious
diseases. The principal thing that
causes discord between the people and
the department is the most important of
all-the strict seclusiOn of the sick and
exposed. Hundreds of citizens beg the
medical bill-posters and diagnosers not
TO placard their homes; hundreds APP
zeal to the department for permits to
allow their children to attend school be-
fore the quarantine is up; and hundreds
regard with utter disgust the fumiga-
ton requirement after recovery or
death. This is considered the only
proper safeguard.
In regard to the various contagious
diseases prevalent among children, and
also regarding the period of their incu-
following to say: 1.-The determination
of these periods is a matter of great
difficulty, requiring special and COM
paratively rare circumstances to fix the
dates with precision; moreover. the re-
suits are apt to he confused in some
eases by uncertainty as regards the
thOroughness of disinfection of the
clothes, especially of some articles apt
to be neglected, as the inside of boots.
etc, or perhaps the infection may Iinger
in the hair of the patient in the same
way as in his clothes. AS regards the
period of incubation of scarlet fever and
diphtheria, the most treacherOus dis
eases that the local doctors have to con-
tend with, will say that the period of
the former is anywhere from one to
fourteen days, and of the latter usually
two to twelve days. Other diseases
which prevail more or less in the city,
such as measles, three to ten days:
WhoOping cough, six to twelve days;
chicken pOX, two 10 fifteen days; small
pOX, five to nineteen days; typhus fever
usually twelve days. Concerning in
lection periods, think most medical
officers will agree with my opinions.
The necessity of strict seclusion of the
exposed is obvious, as 1t may be Oh
served that any of the contagious dis
eases mentioned may keep in the back
ground for at least ten days.