The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-15
DERELICT PHYSICIANS.
They Fail to Report Gases of an
Infectious Nature.

A few days ago Times reporter was
asked II he would not Investigate and find
out how many cases of scarlet fever and
dtphther.a there were in the city and also
IL he would not publish the city ordi-
nance In regard to precautionary steps
being taken to prevent the spread of
these contagious diseases and why the
beard OF health had not taken those steps.
After thorough investigation of the
matter and after baving had several in
terviews with different physicians of the
city ana also with the president of the
board of health, The Times is able to
give out some facts IN regard to this in
teresting question.
Chapter s3, section 1907 the ordinances
concerning the public health reads as
follows: cit shall be the duty of the
board OF health TO provide against the in
PRODUCTION or spread of Infectious or con-
tagious Diseases
Now, great many people claim that
the board of health does not do it's duty
In this respect, and knowing this the re-
porter interviewed DR.. II. w. Harrison,
president Of the board OF heslth, who
said:
"The trouble has been that physicians
have been much to blame in carelessly
neglecting tc conform TO section 90 of the
city ordinances concerning the public
iShiIh' MnlCu IetttlS KS lOliOWS. AL
physicians practicing within the limits
of the city who shall have any case of
contagious diseases, shall report the same
to the board of health in writing within
twenty four hours after the same shall
nave come to their notice. and for every
neglect to report any such cases as re-
quired the physician shall be fined five
dollars Unless this is done,n said DR..
Harrison, sit is impossible for the health
board to keep proper record of such
cases and take such actor in the prem
ises as may be deemed necessary and ex-
pedieDt, since failure to promptly re-
port such diseases, which is virtually al
most equivalent to their concealment un-
less the facts, perhaps known only by
few surrounding neghbors and others ex-
posed to the contag'on who may igl.o-
rantlT come in contact with parties i'm
mediately exposed to the infection, such
as nurses, casual attendants, visiting
neighbors and relatives and maybe the
physician himself, who takes no little
precaution to disinfect himself.
"During the months OF September and
October, 1897, only five cases of scarlet
fever, three of diphthera and one of
typhoid fever were reported to the board
of health, making n total of nine cases
of infectious diseases, and of this number
six were repo;ted by one physician, leuv
ing three cases TO tie divided between
about thirty physicians. Hence it must
very naturally be inferred that there
have been other cases which have not
been reported.
cit is t" be sincerely hoped that as the
City Council and the mayor have been
made cogniZant of these facts and also
that those physicians who were sum-
moned before the police justice as having
violated the law requiring them to report
such cases: were allowed to go free with
out rebuke or punishment, the matter
takes on n new phase and an example
may be made Of the offending parties, in
augurate a. respect ami obedience of the
laws pertaining to this department and
much good result from sanitary measures
In future"
Our reporter in his interviews with
others ascertained that there were good
many cases of both scarlet fever and
diphtheria il the city, and yet there have
been only nine cases reported in month
and a half
The question very quickly arises as to
who is to blame for this, and any fair
minded person, after reading the above,
cannot say that it Is the fault of the
board of health, but that it is the fault
of our physicians, who are too careless to
do as the law demands, and OF our police
justice who will not execute the law.