Evening journal., 1897-11-04
BE UP AND DOING.

same should arouse In our Board OF
Health an earnest desire to take steps,
no matter how radical. to stamp out
this terrible disease which has brought
so much sorrow to so many families.
So long as the infected houses and
their occupants are free from quaran-
tine every home in the city is threat
ened.
II the cases were those of smallpox
the yellow flags would be flying, and all
other steps taken to prevent the public
from coming in contact with the houses
and their occupants. Diphtheria Is as
deadly and as contagious as smallpox,
and II the heads of families were com
PEELED to choose between the two dis
eases, nine out of ten would say: Let
us have smallpox for we know what
the conditions will be after 1t is over
But here in city Of seventy Thousand
of inhabitants we have men and wo-
men on the streets, in the cars, at
church and in other public places, who
should be rigidly confined to their own
premises Children are in our schools
and on our streets mingling with other
children when the back-yards OF their
homes should be their playground The
free foot they are given is a disgrace to
the guardians OF the public health. It
is worse than carelessness. It is a
crime against society, a blow at human
happiness; a menace to life in general,
and to the life OF childhood in particu-
lar, for the favorite victims of this dis
case are the young children OF the
household.
A father or mother who wantonly re-
ceives or associates with neighbors OF
the public, or who sends a child from
house OF infection to the public school
or the public streets should be sent to
Jail as a public nuisance OF the worst
description, for persons who have not
regard for the health and lives OF chill
dren are not fit to live in a civilized
community.
Baltimore is experiencing the same
trouble, and at last 1t has awakened to
the necessity for drastic action. It is
stated in the newspapers of that city
that while the disease has not yet
reached such prevalency as to inspire
the fear of an epidemic, the health Of
ficers are using every available means
TO prevent a spread of infection.
DIR. McShane said yesterday that
much of the spread was due to allowing
children already infected with diph-
theraa, or who came from homes where
there were cases of the disease, to at
tend the public schools. He conferred
recently with the school commissioners
and so impressed them with the need
of increased protection that they issued
a circular to principals requesting that
a close watch be kept upon the chill
dren.
All pupils complaining Of sore throat
or giving other evidence of this mos'
common of the premonitory symptoms
are to return at once to their homes
nor are children coming from homes
where the disease exists to be received
There is a strict penalty to be en-
forced for violation Of that ordinance
which prohibits the contact OF these in
fected or coming from places inrecte'
and which insists on isolation of al
known cases. But the ordinance Is fre
Quently disregarded by careless parent
who permit their children to move a
large though coming from infecte
homes and thus carry the disease +
other children.
At present said DR.. McShane, tn
majority of cases reported are fror
schools in South Baltimore and North
east Baltimore. There are also man
cases in the northwestern section. re
Gently there was a rumor that tn
spread of the disease had assumed sue
alarming proportions as to necessitat
the closing of one or more schools, bt
this the health commissioner think
will not be at all necessary, his idea b'
ing to impress upon parents the impo
tance of keeping their children at hon
where the circumstances are such ;
above mentioned.
Despite the great number Of cas-
reported the death rate has been con
parativeiy light. This is mainly due
the use of anti-toine, which has lessee
ed the former rate between 40 and
per cent. 1t is a matter of regret Wi
the Officers of the health departme
that their appropriation is not sun
ciently large to permit Of their buyil
the anti-toxine in quantities for the
lief of the INDECENT. There have be-
a number OF purchases made and q
applications have proved most satisia
tory. In the opinion Of DR.. McShai
the outbreak OF diphtheria conclusive
demonstrates the vital need Of he
pital for the purpose of isolating all i
fectious diseases, so that mothers al
nurses would not have to be separat
from their charges.
The inspectors of the department a
kept busy disinfecting houses in eve
section Of the city, and new investig
tions are constantly being made.
case that will be taken up is III