Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-03-26
ST. ALBANS DOCTORS
SPONSlBLE FOR THE EPIDEMIC OF
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
Did Not Report and Isolate the Case
Properly Severely Criticised by the
state Board of Henlth-Health
OHiccr Resigns.

st. Adams, March 19-The State board
of health, represented by its president,
DR.. c. 5. Caverly of Rutland, and DR.. j.
II. Hamilton of Rchford, secretary, held
meeting here to-day to consider the
question of contagious diseases in St Al
bans, and the enforcement OF the laws
relating to them. Nearly all the doctors
In town were present, and the board OF
village trustees was represented by Pres
ident Royce ana Messrs. Temple and
Walsh.
Upon the opening of the meeting DIR.
Hamilton said that very bad state of af-
fairs existed here and that the health Of
flcerS had not done good work and that
there was n lack of sufficient isolation and
efficiency of quarantning of infectious
cases of diseases. The board commended
the prompt action of the trustees in the
matter and said that they had shown a
disposition to do everything possible to
remedy existing evils, as we'll as endorse
the action of the health officer in what
he thought best. He was not surprised at
the spread of disease in St. Adams from
personal knowledge of the handling OF
various cases. There had been reported to
the board 120 cases of measles, one OF
scarletina and one of diphtheria, but he
knew that there were moro. lie was sat
isiied that the physicians generally did not
10 liltlI uuly anu dSNlsN NiiN ''N''N'' "
fcer, and knew that it was not possible
to do good work until they did. He did
not know of any place in the state where
the matter was so poorly and carelessiy
managed as st. Adams, and wanted the
doctors to understand that they must re-
port contagious diseases to the health Of
ficer or the law would be enforced regard
less of who the physician was.
The State laws on public health were
distributed and discussed, as were also
the regulations of the board.
In reply to the question asked the BOARD
"as to whether membranous Group was
considered an infectious disease. ana III
So of what nature, and whether is shoulu
be ouarantined or not the answer was
chat membranous Group Is an infectious
disease. diphtheretic in nature, ana "here
no ARCHAEOLOGICAL examination mas peei
made that it should be considered as oiph-
iberia, and the same precautloh uSeu q"
! in diphtheria proper ,.
/ Tho resignation of DR.. Paige as health
officer was accepted and his successor VIII
be appointed in a few days inc state
law naming and concerning infectious ols'
eases follows: = ,eoo
Extract from Act So of the laws of 1872
Sec. c. Any householder in whose uWeli
! ing there shall occur case or infectious
or contagious disease, dangerous to th'
PUBIC ncditi' oman - .i'....t.,o d,
| tice to the health officer. Any physician
who knows or suspects that any person t'
yhom he has been called is sick, or mas
died. of any communicable disease, dan
gerous to the public health, shall at once
report to the health officer the place wher'
such case exists, the name, degree OF Viru
lence and cause or source of the disease
as far as these things are attainable An!
householder or physician failing to give
timely notice to the health officer OF th'
existence of such disease, shall be subJec
to a fine of not more than $40 for ever!
such offence.
/ Diseases which should be reported u
health officers: Cerebro-spinal meningitis
continued fever. chholera, diphtheria, cry
sinelas, measles, typhoid fever, memprah
GUS Group, scarlet fever, small poN, vario
loid, typho-malar!al fever, typhus teVer
whoopng cough.