The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-04
HEALTH OFFICER POSITIVE.
Not Satisfied With DIR. Il. p. War
ing's Statement in Police Court.

|
teresting investigation terminated
without a sensation in Police Court
yesterday. and a docket case against
DIR. t. P. Waring was dismissed. DR..
Waring was charged by Health Officer
w. F. Drummer with failing to report
a case of contagious disease within
the twenty-four hours provided for by
ordinance.
Dr. Drummer was unable to offer any
direct evidence to support the first
charge, and Immediately after the case
was dismissed he entered a
similar charge against DR..
Warning naming another date
DR.. Drummer stated to the court
that he will be able to bring compe-
tent testimony in the second case dock
eted. The health officer expressed a
! desire TO push the case. The
second charge will be heard Tuesday,
and promises to be interesting, al
though the court stated a desire to
| have the physicians meet and arrange
an amicable settlement of the differ
ences.
DR.. Warning was charged with having
1
III the family of Mr.. Robert Grady on
Park avenue until the time limit had
| expired. The health officer had heard
of the case on Christmas day, and on
the morning of Dec. o. called up DR.
Waring about the matter. Dr. Drummer
stated that DR.. Waring admitted that
the case was one of scar
let fever. and said that he had notified
| the health officer on the night before
by mail. DR.. Drummer testified that he
| conversed with DIR. Warning about 10
| o'clock in the morning, and that al
though the morning mail had been re-
celved, there was no report of the
| Grady case.
The health officer said that in the
afternoon mail he received letter from
DR.. Waring in which a report was
made of the case, and that the envel-
| ope was stamped IL a. m. of the same
day. He produced the envelope in
court and it was upon this evidence
that an effort was made to secure a
conviction. Two young ladies were
present to testify that Mrs. Grady had
said on Christmas day that her lit
tie girl was suffering with scarlet
tever, BUT the testimony was not adj
mitted, because it was hearsay
DIR. Warning testified that he had not
diagnosed the case as one of scarlet
fever until the 26th, and that on the
same evening he wrote the health off,
Ger. He explained that he left the
letter with some others on his desk
to be mailed, and that it was placed
in the box on the following morning
by his servant The physician said
that when he saw the child on Christ
mas Eve ii was suffering with a COM
plant of the throat, and that know
ing the prevalence of scarlet fever he
ordered the calling off of a party that
had been scheduled to take place at
the Grady residence on that date. On
the following day the physician was
undecided about the nature of the
disease, although. he said, every pre-
caution was being taken against con-
tagion. On the following day he stated
that the signs were Enthusiastically those
of scarlet fever, and the diagnosis was
made.
DR.. Drummer began his statement by
saying that the case docketed was moi
the first of the sort, but that he never
docketed for the first offense. The
health officer said that he would
say that DR.. Waring had beer
erroneous in other cases. and hi
desired to show that incorrect state
ments had been made. He said
. that on Dec. 4, DIR. Warine
reported a case to him and had the
report dated Nov. 30. The
health officer testified that DR.. Waring
had acknowledged that he had forgot
ten to report the case. and had asked
to be allowed to date the report back
DR.. Drummer refused. He stated to the
recorder that DR.. Warning had denied
this accusation, and that he wass Their
ready to prove the charges by compe-
tent witnesses.
Maj. j Ferris Cam, who appeared
for DR.. Waring. objected to the con-
sideration of more than one case at a
time and insisted that the case that
had been docketed be heard The
statements of DR.. Drummer and DR..
Warning were made with the result al
ready mentioned. The health officer
was both pointed and positive in what
he had to say? He said that when he
conversed with DR.. Waring over the
telephone he knew that he had neg
lected to report the case.
Recorder Myrick said that in his
opinion the ordinance under which DR.
Waring had been docketed is defective
and should be remedied. He said that
1t would be quite easy for a physician,
If he were so disposed to announce a
diagnosis at any time. He suggested
that the health officer have the or
dinance amended so as to make it nee
essary to report even suspicious cases,
or reported cases. DR.. Drummer de-
| Cldreu lndL just Lne innings referred 10
by the Recorder had been done, but
the court announced that he had no
reference to any particular case. He
said that he. took into consideration the
fact that Dr. Warning is a physician
of high standing. He also commended
the health officer for his diligence. He
stated, however, that there was no le-
gal, competent testimony upon which
he could base a conviction.
Maj Cam said that Dr. Waring
courted the fullest investigation. "Its
about time for the city to court an
investigation, too, and you know It,"
said the health officer Recorder My
rick ventured the suggestion that there
appeared to be some personal feeling
in the matter DIR. Drummer said that
this was bound to be the case when a
physician persistently failed to obey the
| ordinance. DIR. Drummer stated
positively that he would docket the
case of Dec. T. and DR.. Warning said
he would be able to make satisfac-
tory explanation of the incident. With
the statement that he would make an
other case, DR.. Drummer started out Of
the court room. Counsel for the de-
Tense asked him to hold on a minute.
Us Your Honor through with me?'
asked the health officer. Upon receiv-
ing an answer In the Affirmative, he
left with the avowed intention OF APP
pearing against DR.. Warning again on
Tuesday.