The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-09-06
DEATHSFROM
WANTOFCARE
Health Reports Disclose Pltiful Con-
ditlOn Of Affairs.
CHILDREN ARE The VICTIMS
Seven Died During the Month of August
Prom Want Of Medical Attendance.
One Thus Far This Month.
The Parents Make Pleas
Of Poverty.

The Board Of Health has before it yexa-
tious problem which for the sake of hu-
manity, needs a solution, and that at an
early day. as the lives of many children in
the town are being sacrificed
The subject is brought up by the following
return made by a physician to the office OF
the Board of Health to-day:
Francisco Yakowitz, aged three years;
suffering Of diphtheritic Group; residence, I34
West Huckleberry alley"
Appended to the return was note that
women and children are visiting the house
and some Of the children are of school age.
verbal report was also made that another
child of the same family has died from
cholera infantum, and apparently without
medical attendance.
The Board of Health has full power to pre-.
vent people from visiting houses where COLI
tagiOus diseases exist, and it has always en-
forced it, as it will no doubt do in the case
referred to. This is not the point upon which
the problem hinges. 1t is the neglect to give
suffering children proper medical attendance,
and this is not the only case in
which it has occurred. Quite to the contrary,
there were reported to the Board
Of Health during the month Of August nc
less than seven cases Of similar character
1t is not charged that they arise from willfuI
| neglect of parents, although it is well known
that among some of the foreign classes which
help make up this community, there seems tC
be disposition to delay the calling in of a
physician until almost the last stage.
and in nine cases out of ten the
call for relief is late 1t is known
that in at least half the cases in which
children have died recently from want of
medical attendance the parents have been
handicapped by poverty, There is no physi-
clan in the town who would refuse to answer
a call to the bedside of a child whose life de-
pended upon his attention, but it almost in
variably occurs that the physicians are not
called upon, as already stated until the dis
eases reach the critical stage, because the par
ents try to handle the case themselves with
out incurring an expense which they do not
feel able to meet
The position of the Board of Health is
this; There is little, if anything to be gained
- f''N'NN'A4s sLAN itsASllbS lOl AdlluEC W
summon medical aid at the proper time, aside
from the fact that it would be most difficult
to prove that the neglect was willful There
fore, the next best step, and the one
most in keeping with the principles
Of humanity, is to provide fund
whereby medical attendance can be
given in such cases as those referred to. The
county physician cannot be appealed to be-
cause he is required to care only for those
who are drawing county relief, and that
keeps him busy. The Board of Health can
not disburse money for the purpose because
it has no appropriation to draw upon for
such an expense, and the Borough Council is
in the same position.
! There seems but one source of relief at
hand at present, and that seems to be the
raising of a fund by public subscription. 1t
| could be placed with the Board of Health to
be disbursed by its officers and the Health
Officer in such cases as may be found upon in
vestigatiOn to be worthy of relief. The
Board of Health is constantly in touch with
all cases of the kind and would be in a better
position than private organizations could at
tain to determine when and where the relief
would be needed