Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-07


Ofneisl Statement
Talk Of Resembling Aotion-Every
Case Guaranteed and Little
Danger.
The smallpox situation in Marshall-
town was brought to focus by the
board Of health late Saturday night.
when It met and decided in a
sudden At Of hysteria to close tenn
porarlly the chrches. public schools
and theaters, and dispense with all un-
necessary public gatherings. The
meeting lasted two hours, from 10 until
l2, and there were present all of the
members excepting Mayor Pierce. who
was absent from the city. DR.. Harris.
chairman OF the health and sanitation.
committee OF the council. and Mr.. Hem
~.
The result was that by Sunday noon
4 Harshalltown had received advertising
MI over the state the effect OF which IL
Will not recover from in many months.
Such official hysteria Is most unfortu-
nate. The conditions we're not such as
to warrant any such extreme measures,
as the spread Of the disease is admit!
ted by all physicians to be due not to
the congregation OF people In public
gatherings. but to the actual careless
ness OF the board OF health itself in not
4 enforcing rigid quarantine regulations.
Patients have been allowed the freedom
OF their entire houses. many even being
& allowed to wander around the premises.
The cases have been so mild that the
public lost all fear Of the disease and
took little care to avoid contagion. The
fault has been with the handling Of the
cases Themselves and there can be no
4 more danger in school attendance or
public gatherings. In fact, not 80 much,
as In having the children turned loose
on the streets or.allowing people TO- FREE
quent billiard halls. saloons and trade.
at the stores. Such measures as the
board Of health has taken do not lessen
the dangers or tend to stop the spread
OF the disease. but have resulted in
creating panic that can never be
compensated for. Damage to the ex-
tent OF hundreds OF thousands OF dol
lars has been done, with no COM
pensating good. all because doctor
got excited and the board OF health
had about as much judgment as q lot
OF school boys There is talk now OF
the boards coming to its senses and
4 RESEMBLING its action tonight. bdt. the
harm 10 done. Marshalitown has been
dealt staggering blow right between
the eyes. To say that we are sorry is
little recompense. The people who live
in !Marshalltown should perhaps be
more careful about associating with
people injected with the disease. Had
there been death or two the public
4 might have taken warning; but there
Is no danger to those who wish to
travel our streets or frequent public
places SO long as they go about their
business and stear clear Of places that
e are Guaranteed.
The object Of the board OF health
meeting was not the closing of any pub
7 Tic places. but instead to take some ac-
ton concerning one OF the members OF
the board itself. Councilman MCGUIRE.
OF the Fourth ward, whose daughter
Katharine lie suffering from very mild
attack Of the disease. Miss MCGUIRE was
quarantined about week ago and none
of!the family remained in quarantine
excepting Mrs. Mcclure. who Is at
home. Public sentiment would not stand
this sort OF thing, especially when FAM
fly after family had been compelled to
remain In doors when but one member
was sick. DR.. Nichols. the health ply
sician. stated the object Of the meeting,
and plainly Informed Mr.. Mcclure, who
was in the chair, OF the necessity of his
remaining in quarantine the seventeen
days. as required by law and In effect in
other instances. Mr.. Mcclure readily
saw logic In the matter and agreed
10 remain in quarantine. together with
the remaining members of his family.
A report Of the situation was then
asked for from the health physician.
and was submitted as follows:
To the Honorable Board of Health
Of Marshalltown-Gent beg
leave to submit the following report:
S Smallpox is increasing and spread
ing rapidly In our city and I wish to
recommend more stringency in regard
to quarantine measures. Where a
single case occurs In family that en-
tire family should. believe. be rigid
gSly QuaraQtlneO. Inc ropes around
quarantined houses should be stretched
across the sidewalks and talking with
neighbors and passersby absolutely
prohibited except in cases OF necessity.
Outside people stopping to converse
y should be arrested.
II would recommend a more thor
ough disinfection OF houses in which
the disease has existed. All movable
furniture. carpets and bedding should
be burned. floors. walls. etc. should be
scrubbed with solution OF blchloride
Of mercury or other efficient germicide
In addition to fumigation with Formal
dehyde. This believe to be a matter
Of greatest Importance and would
& recommend that 1t be made the work
Of q special physician appointed for the
ONCE. the time OF the smallpox physl-
clan being fully occupied with care Of
those sick and looking after the sus-
pectsd cases. ii
.Furthernaore. It might be advisable
to consider az this time: the closing OF
schools. public meetings, churches.
DANCES etc. Respect ully snbnatt fed. Il
sSslss rs ''II, H,sN1CHoEess'E;.
Mattefs we're then talked over IN al
inSqrn1ek WY, from eveiTS point Of New,
and SAsIscially in rkRard 20 tn cage Of
Mis- l9ndlsd Mason. dahshtef Of M