The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-26
And Health Board in Its Apathy
and CarelessneSs
IN THE CITY SCHOOLS
Cases Have Been Discovered
That the Health Board
And DR.. Mitchell Didn't Know
Anything About.

City Physician N. R. Mitchell ought to
begin to realize by this time that there is
real diphtheria in Topeka, and that it is
epidemic.
DR.. Mitchell was himself the attend
ing physician on little Jennie V. Du-
brueil, the seven-year- old daug hter of Mr..
and Mrs. Joseph Dubreuil, who died last
evening of diphtheria at the home of her
parents, at 204 East Tenth street.
Diphtheris is attacking children and
grown people alike. Conductor Fred
Wilkins died of it Sunday, and there are
two serious cases among adults.
Where men and little children die of
diphtheria it is surely epidemic and very
dangerous.
There is a case of diphtheria in the
family of Police Sergeant Ellison, at 4O8
Monroe street. This case was reported
to the sanitary officers yesterday morn
ing, but Sergeant Ellison was allowed to
remain on duty all day yesterday. He
was again on Che streets today mingling
with people unfortunately until about
IL o'clock, when he went home sick. 1t
is not likely that he has diphtheria, as
he complained of stomach trouble but he
should not have been allowed to have
when there is a contagious disease in his
! house.
The officer on duty at the police sta
tionsexplaIned that Sergeant Ellison was
not exposed as the child sick with diph-
iberia was isolated in an upstairs room.
| Not as good excuse Can be offered
for many other cases of negligence.
| The greatest mistake made by The city
| authorities was when two men were dis
! oh ha
| men may not have been efficient, but 9TH
ers could have been found who were. If
| the sanitary officers were not selected
because of some real or fancied political
service the city would be better off The
man who is IA successful ward heeler is
not often good for anything else. When
| the men were discharged the diphtheria
! had just commenced to show itself.
While the city physician recommended
| the reduction of the force, he is not alone
| esponsible, for ne was gwen to under
and that reduction was desirable in
order TO economic. The mayor removed
| the men,
! DR.. Grubbs, who is a member of the
| board of health, says that it was a mis-
take to make the reduction. II have not
been consulted" said he. "Dr. Mitchell
and DR.. Lindsay have attended to the
| business and have not seen fit to call me
!
creased at once. If it is true that that
man in Crawford's fats was allowed to
| lie in the room four days after his death
from diphtheria some one should be ar
rested. am going to.see tho mayor about
this business"
DR.. Mitchell says that every precau-
ton is b51ug taken which could be.
| There is an occasional case" said he sin
which the people do not seem to realize
that they should be careful but they are
| looked after at once. Many of the reports
of carelessness we find by investig alton
! to be untrue"
will the sanitary force be increased?"
Eyes, I4think it will be. / think there
| is no danger of an epidemic. The great
est care is being exercised to prevent the
spread of The disease and you will notice
that very few cases have resulted from
contact. The cause of the disease is wet
cellars and ponds and as soon as we have
one or two good frosts it will disappear"
Mayor Fellows says that he intends TO
increase the sanitary force one or two
men.
Sanitary Sergeant Fowler says that
there are now seventeen cases in the
city and five outside. There are cases,
however, which Sanitary Sergeant Fow
Ter doesn't know Abouf.
There are two men employed as
guards, but it is very evident that two
men can not successfully quad twenty
two cases. 1t seems that the diphtheria
business has been very poorly managed
Some one is responsible and it rests Wi tn
the board of health aud the mayor
There should be no false economy at this
juncture.