The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-12

OF Health complains pathetically because
our other esteemed, but often half shot
contemporary, the Providence Journal,
after pursuing a terrific campaign against
the diphtheria epidemic" for days and
days turned its customary flip flap and
applauded decision of the court going to
show that the diphthcria scare was a
boogooboo and declaring that the result
revealed methods of the health depart
ment that might at times work serious
Inconvenience TO the public"
While we have no wish To interfere be-
tween what promises to be highly inter
esting and harmless controversy between
our two esteemed contemporaries we can
but submit that the complaint of the
Board of Health, because the Journal was
inconsistent, cannot be regarded in any
thing but n humorous light. To be incon-
sistent is both the privilege and the steady
practice of our esteemed contemporary,
the Journal. Its columns are daily filed
with reversals OF what has appeared in
them the day before, or the week before.
This practice enables much larger paper
To be furnished its readers than would
the simple publication of reliable views
and facts of news each day and besides is
OF value as holding the attention of its
readers from day to day just like publish
ing continued story. After you have
finished your Journal one day you can
but have lively curiosity awakened TO
secure copy of the next issue TO learn the
sequels of the information acquired, for
interesting changes, alterations, amend
ments, and developments of absorbingly
interesting kind may usually be depended
upon.
The Board of Health, in it's complaint,
evidently labors under the delusion that
in its diphtheria campaign the Journal
and its youthful and active represen-
tative," who conducted the diphtheria
department. for some weeks had con-
sistent policy in view and designed TO do
the public and the Board great deal of
good. But of course, no such purpose
dictated the sensational articles for which
the epidemic" gave exceptional opportu-
nifty. The youthful representative simply
seized upon the diphtheria cases as fur
nishing profitable culture" for the pro-
pagation Of a sensation just as he would
have rejoiced at murder, suicide, or a
bit of politics for the opportunity they
would afford for filling space with lurid
balderdash. With the Journal, diphthcria
was simply welcome novelty The more
cases the more sensation. This kind of
newspaper work rejoices at human trou-
bles and revels in things that are calcu. |
lated to make shivcrs go up and down the |
backs of its readers. so. accordingly |
when the diphtheria epidemic" blew |
over 1t was prompt to seize upon the |
Board of Health as promising a new sem
'ation. The reversal of it's sentiments
night have appeared to the too-confiding
Board of Health to have been an incon-
istency but the policy thereof was per-
ectly consistent-for the Journal. Having
abored assiduously for days to scare peo-
Die to death, to make everybody who had
! sore throat worry for fear an attack of
liphtheria was impending and setting its
eaders, by the ears over bacilli and
cultures IL ceased its efforts wheu tho
novelty of this kind of stuff wore off and
eased to prove lively enough for human
natures daily food, turning upon the
Board of Heath as the happest object for
new sensation.
As to this second hand" information
Ibout which the Board complains, where
n, 1t may be asked, lay the first hand of
ITO SVuhf WIS tHc llrSt nd0u nOu tnat OF |
he Board of Health? And did the Board
make any complaint the while the Jour
'al was furnishing its diphtheria scnsa-
ions daily, magnifying tho epidemic" in
What would be considered ridiculous
ashton IL IL had not been peculiarly
ruel and heartlcss fashion, Did not the
youthful representative" of the Journal
'et his information at first hand from
he Board before no made Il second hand.
nd did the Board offer any objection Co
he use he made Of this particularly choice
norsel for sensational serving upg Or did
he Board acquiesce in the newspaper
'oom of dlphtheria, the exaggorator of
he epidemic" and the consequent mag
'ifying of the Importance of the Boards
JUNCTION to "subdue" the dreadful thing
nd its skill and energy in prosecuting its