The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-27
IS 1T PERSECUTION
Family of George V. HOssfeld
Forced Into Quarantine.
City Physician Claims There
Was Scarlet Fever i'm Family.

City Physician Judd has become in
volved in a controversy over the en-
forcement of a quarantine at the resi-
dence of George V. Hossfeld, of PA
Clay street, the proprietor of the To-
peka trunk factory and a prominent
citizen.
DIR. Judd declares that several of Mr..
Hossfeld's children are just recovering
from attacks of scarlet fever, which
have not been reported to the board of
health. He has not only instituted
quarantine at the Hossfeld home, but
has placed A. r. Jester, ex-policeman.
on duty as guard. This he did while
Mr.. Hossfeld was absent in Kansas
City.
Mr.. Hossfeld was summoned home
from Kansas City by telephone, and
arrived this morning He says;
My children have not got scarlet
fever, and have not had it, That quar-
antine must be removed from my house.
l can enjoin the board of health from
enforcing the quarantine If they persist
in so doing. DR.. Judd is a young ply
sician, and does not know what he is
talking about when he says my chill
dren are sick with scarlet fever 1 also
propose to go after the morning paper
for printing the statements that it
made this morning. 1 can get physi-
clans who win testify that my children
are not and have not been sick with
scarlet fever
The city physician claims that the
cases of scarlet fever in the family of
Mr. Hossfeld are the ones from which
have originated all the scarlet fever
cases which have recently occurred in
the Nickle Plate district, several OF
which cases have proved fatal. DR..
Judd also threatens to have Mr.. HoSS-
field arrested. He says:
1T seems that the cases of scarlet
fever in the Hossfeld family have been
in progress for some time According
to the statement of the mother the lit
tie boy was sick first about four weeks
ago. This antedates all the other cases
that have appeared and doubtless
marked the beginning of the epidemic.
The Hossfelds are Spiritualists and
have employed no physician at all, SO
the responsibility will rest upon the
parents shoulders. When Mr.. HoSS-
have to be arrested. 1 now have the
place guarded"
Mr.. Hossfeld's statement is quite con-
trary to this. He says: This whole
agitation has been stirred up by some
of my good neighbors who do not like
me, and who leave nothing undone to
make trouble for me. My children had
an attack of diphtheria several years
ago, during which they were attended
by DR. ]. P. Lewis Every winter since
that attack of diphtheria, they have had
trouble with sore throat. DR.. Lewis
has even wanted me to have their tom
sis cut out, but 1 have not wanted to
do SO. Their sickness this winter is just
like what they have had every winter,
and we doctored them in just the same
way, with certain wash which we
have found effects a sure cure for their
trouble. The children were not very
sick at any time. 1t is the neighbors
who have stirred up all this trouble"
Dr. Judd and Mr.. HoSsfeld had a con-
ference at noon today, which did not
have a very definite result DR.. Judd
stated that he would raise the qusran-
tine. provided Mr.. HosSfeld would bring
medical testimony that the children
We're not infected with scarlet fever. He
said that otherwise the quarantine
would stand. Mr.. Hossfeld said that he
did not want DR.. Judd or any member
of the board of health to go to his house
again. and told them that he had in
structed his wife to allow no one to en-
ter the house unless he himself should
come with them.
Whether DIR. Judd has Mr.. Hossfeld
arrested, or Mr.. HoSsfeld enjoins DR..
Judd is still an open question.