The Portland daily press., 1895-05-01
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
Chairman of Board of Health Sug-
gests New Rules.

Gases Where Diphtheria Has Been Com
municated After the Patient Had Re-
turned to School,
A special meeting Of the school COM
mittee was held Tuesday afternoonsto
listen to some recommendations from
DR.. I'll. p. Merrill of the Board of Health,
in regard to the general school rules
relating to contagious diseases.
Taking up diphtheria first. DIR. Merrill
related an incident bearing upon what
he would recommend in regard to diph-
liberia. February Is case of diphthe-
ria was reported to the Board Of Health.
There was nothing unusual about it,
aud the child recovered well. In 81 days
after the case was reported the child
was allowed to return to the Monument
street school. Five days after the child
was re-admitted, her seat mate came
down with diphtheria. ] have no doubt
whatever. gentlemen, that the child who
was re-admitted carried in her throat,
her nasal passages or her clothing, the
diphtheria bacillus, and gave it to her
seat-mate. 1t has been proven beyond
question that the diphtheria bacillus
remains i'll the throat as long as 20 days.
DR.. Merrill therefore requested that the
time of re-admission to school be ex-
tended from two to four weeks, when
the diphtheria membrane disappears
from the throat and nasal passages.
In regard to scarletina, DR.. Merrill had
an incident to relate
The latter part of December, he was
called to see child. scholars in the
Monument street school. who had convul-
sions. The mother said that two weeks
before, the child had rash, of which
little had been thought. Yet that was
scarletina, and the child died Of convul-
sions. 1t was then learned that in the
latter part of August, one or two of the
older children of this family had had
the rash. No physician was called and
not much was thought about it. These
children went to school at the Monu-
ment street school, and undoubtedly
spread the disc ase, which was very pre-
valent i'll that school in Septem ber.
Therefore DR.. Merrill would have the
teachers investigate at the beginning of
the term to see it any scholar has had
a suspicious disease during the vacation.
Another point was taken up in regard
to the children who attend school for a
day or two with symptoms of throat
trouble. Some method should be devised
to have such cases examined by the city
physician at once, in order. that the child
may at once be taken from the school If
a case of contagious be found.
Supt. Lord said that in Boston, physi-
clans were sent to all schools at stated
intervals.
The practical questioning of getting
the city physicians attendance to see
cases in the schools, was brought up. Who
was to summons him? How was he to be
summoned? Was the child ito be kept
in the school until he arrived, or be
sent to be examined there? OF course
the teacher cannot go after the physi-
clan, and she has no One to send.
DR.. Merrill and DR.. Vose of the COM
mittee, insisted, however, that it was
very important that incipient cases of
diphtheria be detected and isolated at
once. DR.. Merrill said that most of the
cases in the year, about SO
in all, were in the. region of the Chest
nut street school. He did not, of course,
infer from that, that the. infection was
from the school.
The point was brought up by one of
the committee that grocer with diph-
iberia in his family, had served his Gus
toners during the whole period OF infec-
tion. Another point was also brought
up to the effect that one nurse had done
much to spread the disease. DR.. Merrill
admitted that she was the mother of
eight cases, having gone to various places
when she had sore throat.
After considerable discussion, the
formulation Of suitable rules for the
schools in regard to contagious diseases,
was left to the Board of Health. When
formulated the rules will be submitted
to the schools board for approval.
If the new rules change the duties of
the city physician, this point will go
to the city government for approval.
In the absence of Mayor Baxter, Mr..