The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-21
Starving In Quarantine.


the manner of their enforcement. which
calls for immediate correction.
shocking instance of hardship resulting
from the present system has come 10
light. In one of the suburbs Of this
city family consisting of father.
mother and three small children has
been under quarantine for contagious
and dangerous disease for some days
past Two guards are stationed around
the house, and no one is allowed to ap-
proach or leave the place save the ply
stefan in attendance.
The father, a laboring man. Is pro-
hibited from going out to his daily
work, and the family income Is thus
cut off. 1t appears by the statement of
the neighbors that the family are abso-
lutely destitute in consequence Of this
inhibition. with no nurse for the dan
gerously sick woman. and were for a
time without particle of food in the
house, and without money or an OPP
portunty to earn any. Their immedi-
ately pressing necessities were relieved
by their neighbors, who are themselves
poor. and scarcely able to assume what
is really public duty.
The situation appears to be that there
IS no adequate provision Of law. or that
the authorities are not aware OF any
Jaw. to meet such cases as this. The
duties Of the health officers apparently
stop with the enforcement OF the quar-
antine regulations. If the quarantined
family incidentally starve to death as
the regulations. it is not a matter with
which, under the existing law. the
health officials, or others OF the city
authorities, feel called upon to inter-
fere. Provision for the INDECENT, under
ordinary circumstances, Is duty which
falls upon the county commissioners;
bnt in cases when the poverty is caus-
ed by the enforcement of the city's
quarantine regulations, the county
commissioners do not feel inclined to
act Indeed. there is no manner of call
ing the matter to their attention un-
less some outsider interests himself. and
pending the unwinding of the neces-
sary red tape. the victims Of the quar-
antine regulation may starve to death,
and thus settle the question.
he ~Vtr
ton of some weeks. when the quaran-
tine Is finally lifted, the household fur
niture Of this particular family. follow
ing the customary practice in such
cases. will be destroyed, and the desti-
tuition of the family will be complete.
The expenses OF enforcing n quaran-
tine in such cases as this are certainly
not less than Sc a day. 1t would seem
that without too serious a tax upon the
public purse small additional amount
might be added for the support OF fam
lies whose income has been cut off
during the tendency of the quarantine.
and that provision might likewise be
made for replacing such of their belong
ings as are destroyed. through pre-
cautions taken for the preservation of
the public health.
The instance referred to above Is not
an isolated one. Several similar cases
have occurred within the past few
months. and 1t is certainly high time
that some definite action be taken In
the direction OF making proper provi-
sion for such az may occur hereafter.
As the law and the quarantine regula-
tons now stand. OF at least as they are
interpreted. one OF the penalties OF hav-
ing a contagious disease in the family
is. TO the poor wage Garner who has no
surplus on hand. starvation. OF an ap-
peal to the charity of his neighbors.
4 Dfominput Kentuckian IL resuonsi-