Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-13
Remedial Legislation Passed
Upon by Commissioners.
SUGGEST AMENDMENT
REPORTED PREVALENCE OF CON-
TAGIoNs IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Communication From District 6ealtn
Officer, in Which Pending Measure
is Discussed.

a
the further prevention of the spread OF
communicable diseases in the Dlstrlct Oh
Columbia" together with amendment
suggested in a statement by the heaith
officer, Dr. Woodward, which is inclosed-
Modified as suggested, the Commissioners
recommend favorable action on the meas
IRE The report Of the health officer on
the subject matter of the bill Is especially
interesting at this time in view of the re-
ported depletion of the classes at many
of the public schools on account or the
prevalence of diseases taken cognizance OF
In the proposed law. DR.. Woodward says
there is In the District no restriction upon
the conduct of persons sunerlns from
measles, whooping cough, chlckenpoX, oI
epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis, or upon
the conduct of persons charged Win ,he
care Of such patients
Alleged Defect Pointed Out.
There is. for instance" he continues,
mo law which will prevent a person SUI
fering from measles or still in the In
fectious stage of that disease from riding
on street cars or from attending theaters
or other places of public assembly Ex-
cept when patients die, and then only AFTER
death the health department knows noth-
ing of the extent to which such maiadles
prevail or Of the localities or 1ndlNldua.s
FORE unable to determine at any partlcu,
lar time whether there is or is not neeo
for special care looking toward the pre-
vention of the spread of these diseases
and is moreover, without authority to take
action toward that end even IL the ne
cessty therefor be apparent. In the ap-
sence of law requiring cases or these
diseases to be reported the heath depart
ment is unable even to do efficient educa-
tiCnal work toward the prevention of their
spread; 1t Is for instance, unable to notify
parents and others, who not uncommohiy
assume to treat cases Of these diseases
without medical advice, of the dangers
incident to such diseases or of the means
best adapted to prevent their dissemlna-
ton. Nor can the health department verify
diagnoses in cases of supposed chicken
pox made by laymen, as certainly should
be done at least during the prevalence OF
smallpox. a much more serious disease,
which in its milder forms closely resem-
bles chickenpox, and may be mistaken for
1t even by competent physicians. Errors
of this kind, in most cases preventable
have been one of the most frequent causes
of the recent outbreak of smallpox
throughout the United States.
Absence of Reports.
I'm the absence Of reports of all cases of
measles whooping cough and chickenpox
no data is available to permit the exclusion
from school of pupils residing in the same
houses with patients suffering from these
though such pupils are liable to develop
these diseases and in the early stages to
disseminate them among their playmates:
The desirabiity for recording all cases of
epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis rests on
the hope that such record may assist ma
teriaHy in the discovery of the method by
which this most fatal disease Is spread and
of means for its prevention.
There Is no provision in this bill author
izing the placarding Of houses in which pa
tients suffering from any Of the diseases
mentioned are under treatment Placards
might do good, but 1t is questionable
whether the benefit to be derived from
them would compensate for the annoyance
and possible loss to which they would SUBJ
ject citizens and the expense to which the
posting and removing of such placards
would subject the District government.
No harm Is likely to result from the alb
sence Of placardS to persons who do not en-
ter the premises, and the likelihood of harm
resulting through visits to such premises
will be diminished, to a certain extent at
least, by the provisions of section 3. The
provisions of this section would prevent
the responsible householder from allowing
any one to visit the premises, or at least
such parts of the premises as are likely to
be infected.
Proposed Addition.
''The same section will prevent the house
holder from allowing persons or goods to
leave the premises in such way as to
render 1t reasonably likely that they will
carry disease with them. In order how
ever, that persons ignorant, but not negli-
gently so, OF the means by which these
diseases or other communicable diseases
are spread shall not be liable to prosecu-
tons for acts done in ignorance l respect
fully recommend that on page g. in line o.
after the word patient the following
words, knowingly or negligently' be in
serted; that on the same page in line II,
after the word or the words knowingly
or negligently be inserted, and that on lae
same page. In line IA, after the word per
son the words knowingly or negligentlv'
be inserted. If these amendments are made
IT Will be necessary for the prosecuting Of
ncer TO prove IN any case that the act or
omission OF the defendant was reasonably
likely to lead to the spread of disease and
that such defendant knew that such was
the case or that his ignorance was due to
negligence, and the citizen will, 1t is be-
heved; be amply protected against unrea-
sonable prosecution or prosecutions based
upon merely theoretical dangers.
For the purpose Of further protecting cit
lzens from prosecutions for acts done with
que care, and yet in ignorance of their
probable effects. 1t is recommended that tn.
words knowingly or negligently' be in
serted on page =, in line 3, after the word
shall I"
Minor Amendments.
DR.. Woodward suggests a number of mi
nor amendments to make the phraseology
of the bill somewhat clearer. and concludes:
1.-THE enactment of this bill will not in
volve any material expense to the District
1t is the purpose of the health DEPART
ment, If it be enacted. to utilize the reports
OF cases of the diseases mentioned for the
purpose of forwarding to the responsible
parties literature relative to the nature OF
the disease reported and descriptive of the
means to be taken to prevent its spread
Prosecutions for neglect in the management
OF cases OF communicable diseases will grow
only out Of complaints of citizens who are
aggrieved."