The times., 1898-12-20
the scandals growing out of Secretary AL
gers administration.
Health Officers and contasion

Health Officers and Contagion.
Yesterday there appeared in The Times
a communication in which were told facts
that reflect on the efficiency and on the
fidelity of. the employees of the health
office. In the published complaint a
father asserts that the health off,
Ger reported that there were no indi-
cations of diphtheria or other contagious
diseases In the case of his child. although
the attending physician had made re-
turn of diphtheria. Six days after the
case was reported and two days after the
death of the child a subordinate
came to the house with directions for fu-
migation, the seclusion of the patient and
the posting of the usual placard-now no
longer required. At the same time an
other official issued a death certificate in
which diphtheria was given as the cause,
although the health office had no new ev-
idence to make a change of diagnosis.
There may be reasonable explanation
of the contradictory statements as to the
character of the disease, but it is hard
to find any excuse for the delay in TAX
hiS Sleps W prevent It's eAieHSioi' uiiiSsS
the force is inadequate. 1t is believed
that the reports of the health Office do
not include nearly all the cases of conta-
gious diseases among children, although
they show alarming number. Diph-
iberia and scarlet fever have been prev
alent to an uncommon extent for more
than a year, and a comparison of the
reports by months does not indicate a
winning fight of sanitary science. 1t is
obvious either that there is widespread
disregard of the Instructions of the health
officials or that there is neglect and in
efficiency on the part of those whose
business it is to wage unrelenting and
vigorous war on germs-unless sanitary
science is Il humbug and a delusion. If
there is carelessness among those who
have direct charge of patients, then the
health officers are to blame for neglect
ing compulsory measures, such as the
removal of the careless or intractab,e at
tendants for others who can be trusted
This is too grave a matter to be ignored
by the parents of the community. 1t is
impossible 10 limit the ravages of diph-
liberia and scarlet fever to any class of
people. unless proper safeguards are i'm
posed by the health department. II We
can believe sanitarians whose authority
is accepted by the medical profession, the
epidemics that now affiict this town can
be banished. Hardly any cost of money,
time and energy by the pubic health
guardians is too great, Ir they can be
abolished or restricted. AS long as they
continue the people are right to complain.
There are other Indications of a failure
of medical men to take precautions
against contagious diseases or of their
failure to study the source of such dis
eases. The wife-of citizen went to
hospital for a surgical operation, on the
advice of the surgeons, who said the ar
rangements there were more favorable.
The operation itself was not dangerous
and it was successful. At the end of
month the patient was nearly well enough
for discharge, when she was attacked by
typhoid fever, from which she died. Clear
ly the hospital conditions were wholly
responsible for this. She had been there
for a month, and aside from the opera
tion her health was good. Somehow the
germs of typhoid, present in the hospital,
found their way TO her. That such
thing could happen shows carelessness on
the part of somebody. We have to con-
clude either that sanitary science is
wrong in its positive affirmations about
contagion, or else health officials and
other medical men are careless or in
efficient to II oulpable degree.