The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-06
THEY WILL NOT
BE PROSECUTED
Mrs. Maynard and Mrs. Mckee Can
Now Stop Worrying.
POSITION Of BOARD OF HEALTH
City Solicitor TOrrey Thought That
That Nothing Could BE Done in
This Case, but the Board Proposes
TO Revive Its Rules So That Cases
Of Tint Kind Can BE Dealt with in
Eufnrn.

Mrs. Maynard and Mrs. Mckee. the
two Christian Scientists under whose
treatment the young son OF James r.
Wood. of the North End, died several
weeks ago, will not be prosecuted by
the board of health, but those Scien-
fists who practice in the future will be
made answerable to the law. This was
decided at a regular meeting of the
board yesterday.
Through Secretary Briggs it was re-
ported by City Solicitor TOrrey that
nothing could be done in the present
case. The father of the child or adult
members of the household, 1t was the
city solicitors opinion. could be pun
ished for not reporting the case, which
was contagious, s,according to the boards
rules and regulations. As the board
had no desire to prosecute tie father.
the matter will be dropped, but precau-
tions will be taken to cover similar
cases that may arise in future.
DR.. w. T.. Allen, health officer and
W. A. Paine were appointed commit
tee to revise the boards rules and regu-
lations so that an adult person, whether
a member of family or not, who has
access to a house where contagious dis
ease exists and fails to report it will
suffer a penalty.
A jar of oeomargarine sold for but
avenue grocery firm to one of it's regu-
lar consumers was sent to Food lnspec-
tor Cullen for analysis. He found 1t
oleo of good quality and so reported
to the board. who instructed him to in
vestigate the case and be diligent In
enforcing the oleo laws. which provide
that all that material shall be sold as
oleo and from packages labeled "oleo-
margarine"
SOUTH SIDE CREMATORY.
The advisability Of building gar
bage crematory on the South Side was
discussed and DR.. Paine, Mr.. Horn and
Mr.. Zeidler appointed committee to
inquire into the need of it. The present
crematory is being run beyond it's guar
anteed capacity and South Siders are
complaining against the trouble and
cost involved in having refuse carted
so great distance.
In drafting and adopting its recent
code of plumbing rules the board failed
to include penalties. This fact was
called to the boards attention yester-
day by Secretary Briggs. though it had
been previously considered but not
definitely. Contractors complain that
plumbers may disregard the rules and
fear only such punishment as comes
from notoriety. Dr. Allen, health Off
Ger. and DR.. Paine were appointed a
committee to consult with City Solicitor
Torrey and draft penalties to cover the
omission.
The laxity. and in some quarters alb
SOlute indifference, on the part of some
physicians in reporting contagious dis
eases has resulted in the placing of
pacards on houses too late to serve the
purpose intended by law. This sug
gested to one of the board the idea of
distributing small placards among the
physicians and asking them to do the
placarding. The medical members OF
the board objected to the scheme on
the grounds that it would encourage
physicians in their tardiness in report
ing a given case. that they would gen.
orally consider 1t beEeath their dignity
to carry about in their carriages small
placards even and that patients would
view with disfavor such action. The
proposition was not voted upon.
ALLEYS IN BAD CONDITION.
1t was brought to the boards atten-
ton that many alleys and isolated
streets are in an unsanitary condition
and that they cannot be properly pa
trolled and the nuisances corrected by
Sanitary Policeman Burke because Of
his other duties. It was recognized
them in thickly populated districts,
should be cleaned, especially so in view
of the proximity of cold weather. and
Mayor Bailey will be asked to have q
police patrolman mounted and detailed
to patrol the city and see that the spots
are cleaned.
The mortality report of Secretary
Briggs showed 105 deaths during Octo-
Der. In the same month during the
four preceding years the rate averaged
49, There We're 127 births. SO being
males and A. females. The number of
marriages was 81. Cut of Sc reported
cases of contagious diseases only .
died. of diuhtheria and 1 of typhoid
fever. There were Al cases of dph-
iberia. 5 of typhoid, Of measles. S of
scarlet fever and l Of whooping cough.
out of the ia bur-eis which included
that of bodies from outside the city.
80 were under year old, 23 from to ;
years, 2 from to 10 year 3. ) from 10 to
20 years, IA from 20 to 10 years. 20 from
40 to 60 years, II over so years. and OF
unknown age. Only So were natives of
the United States, the others represent
ed ten nationalitiex and zine were from
countries unknown.