The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-03
WORSE AND WORSE.
A Case of Diphtheria Appears in
Sumner School.
Case Reported Yesterday Morn
ing, Child Dead at Nightfall.
3 DEATHS IN 36 HOURS.
Health Board Worse Than Grim
inal in It's Inaction.
Sister Of the Dead Girl at Har-
rison School.
Mingled With Pupils There All
Day Yesterday.
PUBLIC IRE RISING.
Talk Of Mass Indignation Meet
ing by Citizens.
Mulishness of doc" Mitchell
and the Mayor.
PUBLIC IRE RISING.
Talk Of Mass Indignation Meet
ing by Citizens.
Mulishness of Doc" Mitchell
and the Mayor.

Teresa Grandpre, the thirteen year old
daughter of H. 7. Grandpre, at 424 Fay
lor street, died last night of diphtheria of
a most malignant and aggravated form.
On Friday Teresa failed to appear at
the Sumner school, and the lady princi-
pal was notified that the child had bad
cold sand sore throat, contracted from
being exposed to the night air, and could
not come for time.
Wednesday morning Teresa developed
a serious case of diphtheria, which grew
worse at night, and the child died at
o'clock
DR. S. Z. Martin was called in at
o'clock last evening, but the case being
in the last stages, medical action was
useless.
Undertaken Knight was called to en-
balm the child. and said that it was
bad a case of Giphtheria as had ever
come under his notice.
''You can't fool me on a diphtheria
case" continued Mr.. Knight, when the
lips crack with fever and the throat IS
heavily liberated and certain other
symptoms appear. then | know it is diph-
theria."
There are six children in the Grandpre
family, and Angelica Grnndpre, one of
the sisters, has been attending the Har-
rison school and ingling with the other
pupils. Angelica is in the sixth grade,
of which Miss Fulcher is teacher, and
was at school all day yesterday, coming
direct from contact with her sister
Teresa.
On Tuesday evening Angelica attend
ed colored festival at the First A. NJ. E.
church, on the corner of Seventh street
and Topeka avenue, where there were
large number Of pupils who attend the
various ward schools throug hout the city.
She mingled freely with them and play
ed the organ surrounded by singers
The people in the vicinity of Fourth
and Taylor streets are not only alarmed,
but indignant. that this case of diphther-
ia was in their midst for days without
their knowledge.
Teresa, the child that died, has been
absent from school since Thursday. sick
with diphtheria, and up to the hour of 8
o'clock this morning no quarantine regu-
lations had been put in force.
Only this morning a red card was tack
ed On the door, and the children have
been back and forth among the neigh
Dor children and in the stores freely all
of this week.
The people Of Topeka will endure the
naction of the board of health very little
onger.
Already there is talk of mass in
| dignation meeting to express public
opinion in tones that the deal and dumb
board of health can understand
DR.. Mitchell. as the city physician, is
largely responsible for the present state
of affairs. He should either at once
take steps to stamp out the Qiphthera
scourge or resign. If he preserves his
present masterly inactivity this town
may get too hot to hold him Those who
know him say his mulishness is only
equaled by his ignorance. Mayor Eel
lows, our "boy" mayor, is also re-
sponsible for the present state of affairs.
1t is his business TO issue the order closing
the city schools. He ought to hold a
meeting in conjunction with the health
/ board, discuss the matter. and close the
/ schools temporarily until there is a great
| decrease in the number of diphtherfa
cases in Topeka; he might improve mat
ters by changing member or two on the
/ health board.
Won't Affect Teachers Salaries.
If the schools are closed by order of
the board of education, it will not affect
the teachers salaries. They must be
paid just the same as if they were on
duty at the school room.
The city can afford to pay the salaries
of the teachers for two weeks or longer,
even though they are not in the school
room, rather than the terrible contagion
I be allowed TO spread.
The school board is still inactive. No
steps have been taken to secure the
closing of the schools. The board of
education will not have meeting until
next Monday evening unless special
meeting is called and hundred child
rem may become infected before then.
OF course the scholars are demoral-
lied A great many parents wisely
prefer not to take the risk
and keep their children at home.
Not day passes now without reports of
children who have been attending school
being taken down with the disease.
Another Worthless Ouarantine.
case of diphtheria has developed in
the family of J. w. Tincher at 1149 Lin
coin street and red card was put on the
front of the house last evening.
In many of the cases it is difficult to
trace the origin, but it is not difficult in
this case. The family lives next door to
the Patterson family, in which there has
been pretended quarantine. The child