The evening times., 1896-12-08
HE ANSW ERS DR.. SCHAEFFER
Mclean Explains the Law on the
Subject of Contagious.
ItCIenrIy States That Children Shall
BE Guaranteed and Not Per-
United to Attend School.

Deputy Health officer Harry c. Mclean,
who came in fer a share of the criticism
recently bestow cd publicly upon the health
department by Dr. L. NJ. schaeffer, a
former District official, was asked today
what he had to say In response, and replied:
..In answer To what he said against me.
personally, nothing. / should like 10 gay,
in general way, however, for the In
formation of the public, that the laws Tor
the prevention OF the spread OF scarlet fever
and diphtheria, defines the duties OF the
physician. patient. guardian, nurse, or
any other personln cha2ge OF the patient.
1t also direCts"when and where the
warning sign is TO be displayed on prem
ises where diphtheria or scarlet fever pre-
walls; alsD about the CiSnfeCtion of laid
premises, and removal OF the warning sign.
IL clearly tells us that persons affected with
Conta gion shall be quarantlned, and IL chill
dren are the patients, they are not per-
uitted to attend school or other pubIc as
semblages, nor appear in the public streets,
and, strange as II may appear, it does not
require the extraordinary professional ahil-
ity of any doctor TO inteiligently interpret
that law and direct its enforcement, and
IL Dr. Schaeffer now really thinks it is
necessary. am at a loss TO understand why
il has taken him tweuty-two years 20 make
that discovery. as there never has been
physician i'll the position | occupy since
the organization of the office.
He should communicate his discovery,
which doubtless was made by means OF his
microscope. tn the municipal authorities OF
cities in this country who are So densely
ignorant as to have non-professional men
even as health officers
'if | required at this junCture the aid
of professional intelligence to assist me
in the proper discharge OF my duties, II is
momentarlly at my comma nd, as | havetele-
phonic comm unication with the health Of
ficer direct, and, in addition to this, have
four very competent physicians as my COM
panions and colaborers in the service, but,
although DR.. Schaeffer may not understand
it, my lack of professional no wledge has
not compelled me to add to their pcrplexi-
ties by shifting to their shoulders my pres
cnt responsibilities.
The office OF Supervising Architect of
the Treasury Department is a technical
office presided over by an architect, but
never since the organization of that office
has the deputy been professional man.
IL did not have such in your humble ser
want when he occupied that position, nor
has it in the present incumbent, and it is
safe to say his successor will not be.
Perhaps DR.. Schaeffer thinks treatment
OF smallpox scarlet fever and diphtheria
cases constitutes the work of this office.
I sometimes wish it did, especially when l
am wrestling with the garbage problem,
the dairy law, the health ordinances, food
laws and accounts, and hundred and one
other matters that / am daily engaged
upon. and the correspondence in which is
fast filling many press copy books.
1T is hardly worth discussing, however.
81 am glad he has accomplished the pur-
pose he evidently had in view, for, while
l am not professional man, believe 1
am correct in saying that a rule of the
regular profession prohibits those gentle
men from advertising themselves in the
usual way and paying for it, and so, if they
can sneak in an 'ad' once in a while, a
has DR.. Schaffer, l shouldn't object, 1
am sure"
WAS not Dr.. schaeffer once deputy
coroner?''
He was; under Coroner Patterson, for
a long term. and with DR.. Woodward very
short term after he became coroner. OF
course. his brief tenure under Coroner Wood
ward hid nothing ito do with his present
ebullition Of criticism of this department.
1 conclude that, a, higher motive prompts
him-the public good. His desire is to
avert public calamity
But, really, You must excuse me.
have other duties requiring attention. and
must perform them to the best of my nom
professional ability