The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-08
CHILDREN MUST
BE VACClNATED
so SAY THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF HEALTH.
Health officer Allen, in His Monthly
Report ut Last Nights Meeting,
Declared That the Vaccination
Law Is Almost Dead Letter In
Scranton-The Board Decided to
Look Up the Law on the Subject
and Then Bring the Matter Be-
fore School Authorities.

In the report which he read at last
nights meeting of the board of health
DR.. w. Il. Allen, the health officer. re-
marked upon the almost universal dis
regard in this city of observance OF
the law of vaccination. ut has been
q long time since there has been small
poX here" the report read, but the
disease has been epidemic In other
sections of the state, within the year,
and 1t is liable to occur IN Scranton
at any time"
The vaccination law Is being gener-
ally dsregarded, DR.. Allen claimed.
and large amount Of discussion was
created among the members by the
statement. There is an act of legis-
lature in the state which provides that
the superintendent of public instruc-
ton must give orders to the school
teachers that all their pupils must
bring to school with them and show
certificates Of vaccination.
The board decided, after a good deal
Of talk over the matter. to not take
any immediate action but to carefully
study the law in the case and at the
next meeting to endeavor to formulate
some plan for successfully meeting the
difficulty.
PRESIDENTS SUGGESTION.
President Reynolds declared that in
his opinion 1t would be perfectly prop
er for the board to enact some law
by which they could take immediate
action, but DR.. Allen suggested that
the law be first looked up and then the
matter be brought before the school
II i,,,, ,,SS1 1fOftn ~
properly comes. DR.. Aliens full report
was as follows:
Gentlemen: During the month Of October
thirty-one nuisances were complained Of to the
board Of health, twenty.cight OF which were
abated. Seventy eight rooms were dsinfected and
all houses placarded where contagious diseases
had been reported. Complaint has been made OF
q small stream Of water which is virtually an
open sewer, crossing Stone, Prospect, Pittston
and Cedar avenues, between Pear and Genet
streets, and running uncovered through open
lots from Cedar avenue to the river. find there
are five water closets, either directly over the
brook or near the waters edge, in the Ave hun
dred block, Eve in the four hundred block and
one below Cedar avenue. AS there IS very little
water in the brook at the present time the con.
ditions are anything but sanitary. 1t might be
advisable to have tins water course converted
into sewer which would not be expensive and
as there is SO much fall on either side Of the
stream it would be difficult to locate closets
that would not soon drain into it.
would call the attention OF the board to the
fact that the law rs to vaccination is virtually
dead letter in this city. 1t is a long time
since there has been any smallpox here, but the
disease has been epidemic in other sections OF
the state within the year, and it is liable to oc
cur in Scranton at any time. There is state
law governing this matter.
Very respectfully,
W. F.. Allen, Health oAlcer.