The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-12
TO CHECK THE FEW Err.
Board of Health May Order All
Schools Closed.
WHAT THE MEMBERS SAY or IT.
Prevalence of scarlet Fever May Rem
der Vigorous steps Necessary
Causes of Infection.

Ths hoard 81 health zsiH hold a spez3s
meeting tomorrow afternoon A. -
s'elassk 70 consider tae adElNahii5ty %
sg0s3nr Al s1e city SCHOOLS sor . T-srie=d
o. shtrfY or fgr8Y days on acc8uat q me
prevalence 81 s1arlef fever. . diseasa hien-
flcS1 with &csrsaslHa Snguld the bosrd
decide that the Situation is cr.fecsi
enough n warrant re closing. Il - prob
able fhaf the action viii carry ain s. a
clause booking 70 the EiEalFactt0n - the
ffgpe lost from tire regular Naettigil. l1-
servfews wtfh the members 0f Fne hoard
saoN thea 10 - unanimous as - e4ostas
~ least some % the sei.9ols-
Or r r. NJ. Miller. president ~ the
hoard called 81 Health offi-er Palmer
Is telephone late yesterday afternoon
aud told nlFa thai ~ had come 70 tae
conclusion that notices 90 meeting FOR
Monday afternoon 10 discuss the proposal
20 eIoss tire schools had better Sc issued.
The circumstance that ied ~ 10 fnis
susrfrfant teieaBhoua message date back
some tims Tue health ofilcers rePerts
for several months have shown That scar
lef fever WAS abroad in the city. Fhe
last report told that tEenty-stN cases
were reported during April with three
deaths an examination or the city
showed that the disease was not confined
20 any one district, bat seems 70 be Een-
orally disseminated. 50 Tar THIS month
eleven cases nave been reported but no
deaths II may nc said that IN general
the disease has not been OF the seFetesl
uatgre
Figuring on the reports for April. i; vas
found that one. sonnet lines two. patients
were either pupils of or inmates q a
house where school children lived. The
following schools were involved as in1i-
Gated above: Denny. f. r. Day al Ere
mont. Minor. Pacific. Rainier. Central
raaGsr
Heart school and the Raudeil school near
afadrona park.
The members Of the board were also
considerably exercised over the fact That
81 pupil returned 20 the Rainier school
without having first obtained ccTtlh-
cate from the health officer.
When asked mis- opinion about the SUD
1ect Or. MitteD said:
II regard Eeariatena as ore of the
greatest gest3leuces Of the day. No pro-
fe.ttve measure has set been discovered
that initiates It's ravages or lessons It's
dissemination. excegs a strict quarantine
aud that ls only a partial success a. BEST
The usual avenues Of Infection are trace
able 20 crowded SCHOOLS and the usual
sociai rnlnglinr. Il Is seldom conveyed
from one 10 the other In the open ar
and aesa.ss, the utility OF closing the
SCHOOLS and maintaining as close quar-
antine as possible where the disease Is
known 10 exist.
MANY cases OF scarlet fever or scar
latina have occurred in the CITY Whlch
have not been reported ana ohiy AFTER
the local evidences OF the disease Aaa
disappeared but had been supplemented
Nv the usual seqGelae. such as brain a4--
ease. running az the ears, brlgat us
ease. etc. were they discovered. ne
,alfv docs not seem TO Re aware OF the
true dangers OF scarlet fever or scatia-
alma on the contrary, people reSdrd po'h
which In reality arc one disease as
harmless. Intelligent mothers OF children
viii DO everything IN cases OF sickness
sor their little ones, bat they VIII also
.xert their characteristic tact To avert
the possibility Of making knowa we ~
fstence OF scariatina IN their iatnll'e7-
would say close the schools Tor HoA'h
or six weeks aud deduct tue uiho e''4N
The regular vacation.
In closing the president or the hoafd
said that he was satisfied the cases re-
,orted were only fraction OF those aC-
ftIaliy ia existence.
Dr. Samuel j. Holmes said Ae Wouil
favor CLOSING the schools ~ IL was decided
a. ~. rnsetfuG that tho unusual number
az cases were due TO the schools. II Is
a fact" he continued. that there are too
r,anv cases of scarlet fever In tlns tlty
for ats size Then again the hsRr"s OF
fhe health Office do not show the actual
number of cases. l realize the gravity OF
closing the schools at this time OF year
whssn the summer vacation Is not FAR
away. bat 81 the facts and figures intro
,ucssf at the meeting warrant such an
action In nay opinion, ] shall certainly
vote 30 CLOSE. We are greatly hanpsred
IA tna matter uf dealing with this dis
case he-asvoa the laws on quarantine arc
doubtful and 4he department rs short
handed In fact We are compelled To roly
10 a gresrt vNteut GA The conscience az