The times., 1898-10-04
Diphtheria and scarlet Fever

Both diphtheria and scarlet fever ex-
| ist in an epidemic form in the city of
| Washington. Yesterday evening the
| books of the health board showed one
hundred and eight cases of diphtheria
in seventy-nine locations, and sixty
eight cases of scarlet fever in fifty To-
| cations.
The authorities confess that the sit
| uation is serious, and that the diseases
| mentioned are likely to extend further
and create greater trouble before they
can be suppressed. 1t is easier to find
| data and opinions than it is to provide
and apply public remedies. Among the
more ignorant classes 1t has been found
impracticable to keep children already
i'll and displaying symptoms which
would be alarming to intelligent par
ents, from attending the public schools
and, so, spreading contagion.
Our health office is further handi-
capped by want of means to resort to
thorough disinfection of germ-infested
dwelling places, by trained sanitary
| workers. There is no appropriation for
the purpose, and the health of the cap
ital. and many lives, are in danger as
consequence. There is another fea-
ture of the situation, perhaps as bad,
and certainly remediable. The health
| office complains that many physicians
are Indifferent about reporting con-
tagious or infectious diseases. If this
were otherwise, and every case of diph-
iberia or scarlet fever were brought to
I Nf he Ea,- x.Tif1 air,
| twenty-four hours after it's discovery
by medical practitioner, much of the
peril of the present situation would
have been averted.
People of the District with families,
and especially young children, are
brought face to face with a crisis.
Something in a concerted way should
be done at once. Congress is not here
to appropriate money for relief. But
we should think that Congress could
be depended upon to reimburse money
/ expended in a cause of such necessity,
even if it We're taken from accounts of
| a totally foreign nature.
We are compelled to notice that there
is always money to buy whitewash to
! deodorize officials who have poisoned
our troops with rotten meat, and al
lowed our soldiers in hospitals to rot
and die for want of nourishment and
medicines. 1t is possible, therefore, that
a few dollars could be found, or misap-
! propriated, to save the city of Wash
/ ington from sweeping pestilence.
The public spirited citizens of the
/ place have a good opportunity to get
! together and do something worth
while. There need be no doubt that the
/ Government could be interested in the
movement A few troops are here and
many officers, whose fathers occupy po-
/ sitions of emolument If not of honor
| Most of these officers are young enough
/ to be exposed TO the ravages of both
| diphtheria and scarlet fever Blanket
appropriations, such as have been
placed in the hands of the Admins
tration for war purposes" have been
stretched to cover the expense of an
unofficial commission for the relief of
General Alger. Why could not they be
! regarded as elastic enough 10 provide
means for saving our soldiers in garri-
son. and our dear little ones-including
those in shoulder straps-from the con-
| tagion that stalks all over our streets
and alleys.
Here is the grandest chance for a
mass meeting that anybody ever con-
ceived of.