St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-11-26
A DIPHTHERIA SCARE.
The Vagarles Of a Sensational Reporter and a
Courteous Reply by Principal Comstock.

reports have been sent to the Manches-
ter Union and Burlington News concern
ing diphtheria ip St. Johnsbury. Here
are few paragraphs sent the News by
one who is evidently trying to hurt the
town as much as he can and at the same
time sacrifice all desire for truth
This town is now in fever of excite
ment over the diphtheria epidemic w hich
is raging here, and which threatens to be
as terrible as was the typhoid fever epi.
denic one year ago.
"a pest house has been instituted in
Fairbanks village, and the victims of this
dread disease who do not wish to have
their residences quarantined are moved
to the pest house. House efter house has
been quarantined and the public schools
have been closed.
"The quarantining has assumed the
aspect OF a gigantic farce and many of
the notices have been torn down and
utterly ignored. A number of people
whose residences have been quarantined,
pay no attention to the Injunction of the
health officers and go around town un-
molested.
"The authorities are doing everything
in their power to keep the public ignor-
ant of the true state of affairs.
1.-THE students of the academy have
been more or less panic-stricken. Some
of the students have had kilograms from
their parents requesting that they come
home Immediately, but Prof. Comstock
told the News reporter that he had re-
fused to give them permission to 60 home,
so they must remain in town until the
end of the present term.
"The authorities assert that there is
no cause or any worriment and Principal
Comstock almost ignores the epidemic.
1.-THE medical men are divided in re-
gard to many cases. Some doctors have
patients who have only sore throat or
tousilitis according to these doctors,
while Others are not adverse to admitting
that they are doctoring diphtheria pa
tients. One died Of diphthera who con-
tracted the disease from friend of
hers, who had according to her doctor
only sore throat.
Because of the disagreement of the
physicians it is about impossible to find
out the exact number OF cases of diph-
iberia, but the number is variously esti-
mated between fifteen and twenty-five
and perhaps many more.
1.-THE News reporter was told BY one OF
the leading physicians at one time a
short time ago there were about thirty
cases. The death rate so far has not
been large.
mo one knows what, caused the dis
ease, but the health officers think it is
from the digging up of sewer in Pad
docR village%
In reply to this unwarranted and
greatly exaggerated story Principal Com.
stock wrote the following letter to the
Burlington News:
EDITOR NEws:-I should like to talk
with you respecting the "diphtheria" ar
ticle which was printed in the Daily News
on Monday and which misstated, in al
most every particular, the exact situa'
ton. | cannot conceive what motive the
young man had, in thus exaggeratine
and perverting the facts of the case. II
is true that we have had some cases o
diphtheria in St. Johnsbury, as there have
also been cases of the same disease ir
many other towns OF the state; but your
reporter must have a strange sort OF spite
against individuals, or against the town
as a whole. to lead him into such viola
ton of the ordinary amenities of the
press. We all believe in free speech, but
we believe much more in the truth, and
this young mans reporting ambition ha:
evidently run away with him. His offenses
i'll this line are becoming quite notorious
feel confident that you will be entirely
willing to verify, in your columns, the
erroneous statements Of the article II
question, as mere matter of justice tC
this community and to individuals
There are, at present, less than ter
cases of persons sick with diphtheria il
St. Johnsbury. The cases have, with
very lew exceptions, been Of a very milo
type. There has been, and now is, nc
"panic" whatever, the people, as 6
whole, exhibiting remarkably good sense
as there is no occasion for doing other
wise.
The first cases appeared among fami
lies living in remote quarter OF thu
town. Children from this section at
tending the Union schools" Tor gram
mar schools) OF the town were, in som'
cases, sick with diphtheria. and the dis
ease was communicated to others. Only
rational, common sense measures wer'
employed by the authorities, and in hes,
they have had the sympathy of allinteli
gent citizens. The health officer has no
been criticised by one single iair-mindet
citizen, as he has done his duty will
proper judgment and caution, and hi
course has been honest and entirely en-
lightened.
The best and most modern methods
have been employed even to the exten
OF employing the services OF an exper
bacteriologist, as would have been quit
proper had there been but five cases O
the disease.
The fact that the town is determine,
to deal with such questions in an en-
lightened, modern way, and the fact tha
unmistakable evidences ofthe disease hav
been discovered in patients whose ply
sicians stoutly opposed not only a
moves toward systematic treatment {
the question but also cooperation an
sympathetic conference, we deem inter
esting, to say the least. But these fact
do not justify your reporter in his reel
less use of ink and temper.
Such phrases as terrifying epidemic,
ETC., are too ridiculous to demand an
great attention.
The statement that "the authoriti,
are doing everything in their power I
keep the public ignorant OF the true stat
OF affairs" is an absolute falsehood. A