The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-05

in a case of this kind where diphtheria
is epidemic the mother doctors for
sore throat and the other children
continue in school until clear case OF 1
diphtheria develops before physician Is
called. The result is the children from
tn at family spread the contagion L am
there was case of that KIND IN
the CLAW school where my children at
tend. l have taken my children out Of
school and Will keep them out until this
epidemic is over"
DR.. A. Rupfn said:-"I think most GER
tainIy the schools ought to be closed un-
til the diphtheria epidemic is stamped
cut. The health board is acting all
wrong. One child may spread the dis
ease to a whole school, while on the
street child may pass half dozen
cases and not catch the contagIon. l
shall keep my child out of school until
this epidemic is over"
DIR. CIV. Hogeboom said:-I think the
Sunday schools ought to be closed, too.
There is as much reason to fear the
spread of the disease in the Sunday
schools as in the day schools"
DR.. L, H. Mum said: 81 have had
nineteen cases of diphtheria in the last
Two months and it is my belief that 1t is
the duty of the city council to pass an
ordinance to close up all the wells IN
Topeka and com pell the use of the city
water People ought to be compelled TO
connect with the sewers that pass through
their ighborhoods. The city has grown
too large for wells and the overf1owed
wells and the poor sanitary conditions
are responsible for the existence of this
disease"
Dr. Mum is right no doubt in his con-
clusions, but the JOURNAL is quite GER
tain that diDhtheria would have visited
Topeka this fall even it the precautions
he suggests had been taken. Diphtheria
prevails at Lawrence and many smaller
towns where the population IS not dense.
The epidemic is general over the coun
try. At St. Louis there are 200 cases
which are considered serious enough to
provoke long articles in the ST. Louis
papers. The death rate from diphther ia
is much larger than it has been since
1886, says the Post Dispatch.
Dr. Eva Harding said: There is no
question but that there is greater danger
of a spread of the disease if children are
punched together in a room, drinking
out of the same vessels, breathing into
each others faces, and hugging, kissing,
or wrestling with each other, as children
do.
yesterday evening l drove past a
house where a red dIphtheria card was
out and saw little child come out at
the front moor, and, curiously, l stopped
10 watch it. 1t ran down Il block and en-
tered a corner grocery store. That is
not my idea of a quarantine
There is no question but the city
schools should close until this diphtheria
reign is under better control. It endan-
gers the health OF every pupil that at
tends"
Dr. Mary Stewart, who heard Dr..
Harding's views, cordially indorsed her
sentiments.
DR.. j. E. Minney said: ~ tell you
frankly that the people are to blame in
this matter. l think that they should
be more careful with the quarantine and
observe it more closely.
''If the diphtheria continues to grow
worse the schools should be closed and
frighten them into observing the regula
tions.
1T would cost the city too much
money to enforce rigid quarantine, aud
vet / admit the quarantine is not being
enforce when l say this"
Dr. J. P. Lewis said: There are two
sides to a question. always, and [ hardly
know which is right. OF course if you
quote me say that l think the board Of
health is sincere. But on the other hand,
Gates about the danger of the spread of
diphtheria being greater where the
schools are open than when closed. l
know of case where little boy is sick
and will undoubtedly die. His father is
poor man and needs supplies from day
to day, and I am almost sure is going
after them. And yet he might or might
not communicate the disease"
Contractor j. J. Cox of Lawrence, who
who was in Topeka today, said to d STATE
JOURNAL reporter: 81 don't understand
what the Topeka city officials mean by
their action in this diphtheria matter.
/ At Lawrence we closed the schools, and
at the suggestion of the mayor the
Sunday schools and all public meetings
where children attended were discontin-
ued The result is the disease is being
stamped out No new cases are appear
ing, and yesterday seven quaranTined
houses were fumigated. The spread OF
/ the disease can't be stopped with the
! schools running open"