, 1897-04-08
MEASLES and SCHOOLS.
MAYOR BROWN CONDEMNS THE
ACTION OF THE SCHOOL
BOARD.
He Says He Will Compel a Strict OBJ
servance of the City Law in Rela-
ton 10 Contagious and Infectious
Diseases II He Is Required to Place
Police Officers to Do 1t.

Mayor Brown takes strong ground
against the action of the school board
in permitting children to enter the
schools from families having the
measles. and he stated last evening that
he would enforce the ordinance of the
city against the dissemination of con-
tagious diseases If he had t. quarantine
every family having the measles and
station a police. officer to guard the
premises. He thinks 1t an outrage that
children from infected families should
be permitted to mingle with other chill
dren at the public schools and thus scat
Ter the disease broadcast over the city.
Section l Of an ordinance concerning
infectious diseases says: "All practic-
ing physicians within the city shall, as
soon as the fact shall come to his knowl-
edge that any patient under his or her
care is afflicted with diphtheria, small
pox, measles, scarlet fever, or other con-
tagious disease, make a report in writ
ing forthwith OF the fact, giving the
name of the patient and residence and
a description OF the room or house &C.
cupied by the patient. Such report shall
be made to the mayor or president Of
the council, under a penalty OF $40 for
each and every offense."
Section 3 says: ANY parent or guard
ian who shall permit any child to at
tend any school in this city while at
fiicted with any contagious or infectious
disease, Or recovering therefrom, shall,
On conviction, be fined in a sum not
less than s. nor more than $25, or by
Imprisonment in the city Jail not ex-
ceeding three months, or by both such
fine and. Imprisonment"
Section 4 provides that no child shall
be permitted to attend any school after
having recovered from any contagious
or infectious disease without first hav-
ing secured a certificate from the at
tending physician that the child is
wholly recovered and may safely mingle
with other children; and no teacher
shall knowingly permit any child to at
tend school except as aforesaid provid-
ed, under a penalty Of not less than IS
nor more than s25 for each and every
offense.
During the present epidemic OF
measles in this city the provisions Of
this law have received little regard from
either the physicians or pupils, and the
parents have constantly evaded its pro-
visions. Mayor Brown believes there
is no reason why the law should not be
enforced. for the benefit Of the public,
and doubtless will enforce II with all
the power OF the executive department.
The school board justices its course
by saying that 1t would be almost ne
cessary to close the schools were the
law strictly complied with. In one room
across the track, only a half-dozen
pupils would remain were all those sent
home belonging to families having the
measles. The light form which the dis
ease has assumed, they say, makes Il
free from danger to life, and again, 1t
is something every child seems doomed
to have ooner or later. 1t is also claim
ed that the disease spread with more
alarming rapidity during the weeks va
cation than since, showing that closing
the schools would not prevent the spread
| Of the disease.
| A. hnldnaoo copLau opa loolr Droru.