Evening star., 1898-10-06
PREVALENCE OF DIPHTHERIA
Some Alarm Felt by Parents of School
Children.
Conditions at the Western High
Statement in the Matter.

town has caused much alarm among the
parents of school children, and the teach
ers, supervising principal and trustees have
been besieged with letters asking that the
schools be closed, and by parents in person,
who are anxious to know the true condi-
tions.
While there is an unusually large number
of diphtheria cases in Georgetown today il
is asserted by the authorities that the chill
dren safer in school than away. The
greatest precautions are being taken to pre-
vent the Introduction Of the disease into
the buildings 1t would be unwise, it is
said, to close the schools.
MIR. b. T. Jannay, supervising principal of
the fifth division, in a talk this morning
with The Star reporter. said:
The health officer has informed me that
there is 10 danger incurred in keeping the
buildings open 1t is impossible to contract
the disease through contact with another
until the afflicted one has arrived the
most critical period. By the time child
reaches that period he is not able to be in
school, therefore cannot impart the dis ease.
But to cover the possible contingency of the
disease being carried by any member of
the family, no child of a family into which
the disease has crept is allowed to attend
school until the health department permits
the taking down of the warning placard.
One of the first duties of the health officer
is to notify by postal the principal of the
en- family"
Mr.. Jesse H. Wilson, the trustee of the
Georgetown division, said: The whole mat
ter is under the supervision af The health
department. The school Off .i2ls scting
under instructions from the health officer,
i'll accordance with the established rule.
There is no cause for alarm"
Mr. Janney was informed yesterday by
a parent of one of the pupils that DR.. ]. F.
R. Appleby had said the schools should be
closed by all means. DR.. Appleby, on be-
ing approached by Mr.. Janney, replied
most positively:
Il made no such statement. The children
are far safer in school, where all possible
precautions are taken to prevent the dis
ease from being contracted, than they
would be at home.
1T is true said Mr.. Janney, that there
are cases, and number of them about the
Western High School, but they are off the
most frequently travelled streets The
school. from a sanitary standpoint. is the
best located of any building in the Dis
trict 1t stands alone. surrounded by am
pie grounds. and all beyond is an open
country, free from those conditions most
favorable to fever. The school trustees
recognize the responsibility that rests upon
their shoulders, and will, in every possible
way. guard the children from harmful in
fuences. If, in the opinion of those who
are in a position TO know, it becomes a
wise thing to close the schools, rest as
sured l will be the first to recommend the
closing"
Infected Points.
The main thoroughfare to the High
School, 35th street, has but three cases of
diphtheria, and the houses are placarded.
On the cross streets, P, Q, R, and T, the
cases will number in all about twenty-five.
On 34th street, within the past week, two
have died, both families living near the
corner of r street They were children,
one the daughter of Mr. jeremiah Lynch
and the other a child of Mr.. Gross of the
Enrich Beef COmpanys force 1t is no.
ticeable that these Georgetown cases do not
cluster about the Western High School, as
frightened parents have been informed. but
are lower down in the town. in the vcni-
ty. particularly, of the old Presbyterian
cemetery.
" responsible for the dissemination of dis
ease germs. Right in the midst of the most
thIckly populated section of Georgetown
where the children outnumber adults ten
to one, and where the houses are small and
sanitary arrangements poor. solid block
of vegetable decay stands. Ever since 1885,
it is Contended. when the place was closed
TO further burials, vegetable deposits and
the refuse Of abutting residences have piled
up there. The rankest most ill-smelling
of weeds are choking each other and pol
luting the atmosphere. The people are de-
manding that this ill-smelling deposit be
removed.
DR.. WOOdsvard's Statement.
DR.. William c. Woodward, the District
health officer, stated to a Star reporter to-
day that while the number of cases of
dirhtheria in the District continues rather
large, there has been no request made to
hin. to close any of the public schools be-
cause Of the presence of the disease, and
that mono will he closed unless conditions
TOT now appre heLded should render sucn
step wise or necessary.
THE public school nearest, perhaps"
SAID )r woodward. TO badly infected
neiRhbCrhOod is the Western High School
located at Both and T streets. Immediately
to the northeast and to the east of tha,
school there is a nest of some dozen or
mere cases of diphtheria, but that fact
docs rot warrant me in directing that the
school he closed. There is no real danger
to school children, provided they are care
full to keep away from infected houses for
the mere passing by of an infected house
Is Is not in itself dangerous to the passer-by.
or course, If children from infected houses
are allowed to come in contact with ga
tierts suffering from diphtheria. and tier
pe' mitted to play about in the streets
with them. Therefore, parents have the
remedy to very large extent in their own
keeping.
The health department." explained DIR.
woodward, upon a case of dipht heria or
scarlet fever being reported, Immediately
nothes the principal of the school ATTENDED
hF the child with directions to permit no
cbid from that particular house to attend
the school until 7 rotified bv the authorities
that the period of danger is past 1t IS
only Just to the school authorities that I
should say that these directions Of the
health office are most carefully carried oIt
ny the principals and teachers of or
schools. Then, tco. when the health de-
partment has reason to believe that a
school building has been endangered 5v the
attendance of stricken children or by the
attendahce of those from infected prem
lseS the building is thoroughly fumigated
ana every other preCaution taken in The
matter. Hence it is that it seldom becomes
necessary To close u school, and for tina
50 me reasons there is little, If any, real
danger to be feared by parents sending
theil children to the schools.
/ am certain remarked DR.. Woodward
that no child from infected house has
been permitted to attend the Western High
school. or, so far as the health office is in
formed, of any other school. What we
badly need here in the District as | have
SO often stated, is a medical inspection of
all school children from day to day I'm
fortunately. we have no funds with which
TO provide for such inspection although
should the occasion arise we could from
the emergency fund provide for such in
spection for a limited time. This however.
cannot be done at present, for while the
number OF cases in the District Is very
large, the disease Is not so prevalent as to
ma ke an extraordinary expenditure through