The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-11

-E----
A very pronounced illustration of how
the quarantine regulations may be nul-
lifted, resulting in spreading contagion
among the unwary, came to the notice
of the health department yesterday
Scarlet fever in the most malignant
form had entered the home of George
c. Sunderland at 455 Seventh street,
and not until after Mr.. and Mrs. Sun
derland's 13-year-old son had died was
the case reported TO the health au-
thorities for quarantine, and even then
the report was not maze by Nhe ply
sician in charge, DR.. Z. F. Root Dur
ing the child's sickness many neighbors
were exposed to the disease.
Eddie Sunderland was taken sick last
Wednesday, and his younger. sister was
II already i'll with fever DR.. Root was
summoned and prescribed for the pa
tents. The cases had some, but not
all the symptoms of scarlet fever, and
the attending physician left medicines
and made two calls between Wednes-
day and Friday noon. On his last visit
Dr. Root left a prescription for the boy,
whose illness was more advanced than
his sisters. with directions that it
should be given If he got worse.
Mr.. and Mrs. Sunderland, who are
Frustrated with grief over the unkind
fate that has been visited upon them,
state that DR.. Root, on the occasion of
his last visit, diagnosed the case as
scarlet fever, and volunteered, in the
line of his duty, to Immediately report
it TO the health department for quaran-
tine.
Death of the Boy.
Along toward Friday midnight the
lad grew worse, the blood oozing from
his nostrils, causing much alarm. Mr..
Sunderland went to Councilman Howe's
residence to telephone a message to
DR.. Root and begging him to come to
the boys relief. DR.. Root replied that
he could do nothing more than had
been prescribed, except advising that
for the henorrhage cold, wet COM
press be applied. A couple of hours
later DR.. Root was again summoned by
telephone. but he declined to respond,
and replied as in the first instance.
Just before daylight the almost fran
tic father again Weakened Mr.. Howe to
telephone to some other doctor to come
to his dying boy. Upon Mr.. Sunder-
lands entreaties, Mr.. Howe telephoned
to DR.. Beer, who promptly answered
the call. 1t took DIR. Beer but a mo-
ment to pronounce it the most virulent
case of scarlet fever he had ever seen,
and with regret he expressed the opin-
ion that the boy was almost dead.
Within twenty minutes from the time
DR.. Beer arrived little Eddie's spirit
took flight Blood poisoning had su-
pervened, and the hemorrhages came
from the eyes, ears and nose.
AS soon as practicable DR.. Beer re-
ported the house for quarantine, and
the quarantine inspector visited the
family, applied the usual disinfectants
and hoisted the yellow flag to prevent
further spread of the dread contagion.
70 hn
of death, DR.. McKenna, the office asso-
ciate of DIR. Root, certified to the cause
of death as scarlet fever. but as soon
as the latter heard of it he caused the
certificate to be withdrawn and de-
clared that DR.. Beer would have to
promptly, reporting that scarlet fever
was the remote, and blood poisoning
the immediate cause of death, and adj
ding: 81 saw this case but twenty min
utes before death.
DIR. Roots Statement.
DR.. Root confessed last evening that
the case was evidently much more SER
ious than he had estimated. Asked as
TO why he had not responded to the
urgent calls, he said he did not believe
at the time that his services, in addition
to what he had already prescribed, were
necessary.
why did you not report the case for
quarantine, doctor?" was asked.
Because 1 was not satisfied that it
was scarlet fever, and l don't propose
to have any case quarantined before l
know what it isl was the reply
WAS il not scarlet fever?" suggested
the reporter.
DR.. Root replied, automatically and
with a sigh: Il don't know what was
the cause of the boys death, for was
not there when he died"
Only a Sample Case.
An attache of the board of health
made the statement yesterday that 1t
is a common occurrence for doctors to
neglect the reporting contagious dis
eases for quarantine. physicians fire.
quently take chances on these things"
he added, land come out all right that
is, there is no quarantine, and nobody
knows it. But this very plain violation
of the law is the cause of more con-
tagion spreading than anything else.
Why are doctors neglecting this duty?
Because they fear loss of practice if 1t
gets to be known that this one or that
one will report a house to be quaran
tined for contagion. People generally
object to being quarantined, but il is
a necessary measure for the protection
of public health, as much or more so
than correct sanitary conditions"
Concluding, this health official re-
marked: 1T would avail little to COM
mence criminal prosecution against uhe
derelict doctors, since Health Commits
sioner Keogh usually comes 10 their
defense"
Carriages Fumigated.
After the funeral of Eddie Sunderland
late yesterday afternoon, the quaran-
tine inspector took occasion TO read the
riot act to Manager Paul of the Salt
Lake Livery G. Transfer company, be- !
cause he alleged one of the carriages !
used for the chief mourners had not |
been properly fulnigated. Captain Paul !
maintained that the fumigation process
had been properly gone through, and |
declared the inspector did not under |
stand his business. The inspector re- !
torted by saying the next time he would |
keep closer tab, and if the disinfecting |
were not properly done he would hang |
the yellow flag on the suspected car
rage.
Statistics For a Week.
The number of scarlet fever cases last |
week under quarantine increased to |
twenty-five. and one case of diphtheria, |
which proved fatal, was reported. In |
the latter case a public funeral was /
held from 1914 West First South