The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-13
Mayor Bergundthal Thinks He
May Learn.
DIR. LOWRY'S METHODS
Secretary of State Board
Doesn't Suppress News.
Public Has a Right to Know
About Epidemics.
Alarming Increase in the Case
of Measles.

Mayor w. S. Bergundthal. speaking
Of the attitude which the city physician.
W. D. Storrs. has taken in his effort to
suppress information about the exist
ence Of an epidemic in Topeka. said to-
day:
II am surprised that DIR. seorrs has
got himself into this difficulty. I thought
him to be young man of pretty good
Judgment. I never saw him before he
applied for the position of city ply
slclan, and as he had the best indorse~
ments. ! appointed him. I knew noth-
ing whatever about his ideas on this
subject of contagious diseases, and act
ed simply on the advice of others.
think this thing viii all be straight~
ened out, however. when we finish the
appointment Of a board of health. Theirs
are two more physicians to. be appointed
and two members oe the 'councii
In spite OF the fact that Storrs is his
own appointee Mayor Bergundthal does
not attempt 10 defend his actions This
mayor broadly intimates that he will
appoint board OF health which win
curb the radical notions Of the young
city physician
Meantime the truth about the cpl
deInle can only be guessed at Storrz
refuses TO tell how many cases there
are OF smallpox, chickenpox, diphtheria.
scarlet fever, measles, and other dis
eases. But the rush at the office of the
board of health seems to continue New
cases are coming in steadily. and the
1our sanitary policemen are working in
dustrously to tack cards on infected
houses, and establish the quarantine
1t may be necessary for Storrs to ap-
point few additional sanitary police
men to quarantine the cases as fast as
they are reported.
Measles is alarmingly prevalent. s.
pecially in North Topeka. It was
learned from an unofficial source today
that dozen new cases We're Ouaran-
tined there yesterday. The daily aver
age for North Topeka would no doubt
be appalling if the city physician would
confess to the truth, and give the Tuh-
lie what it demands: name. a daily re-
port on the spread of contagious dis
eases in the city.
DIR. LOWRY'S OPINION.
Dr. Charles Lowry, secretary of the
state board of health, gives out reports
on the spread of cOntagiOn in the state
whenever there are any new Develop
ments. He keeps people posted, just as
his predecessors did, and just as has
been the universal custom in Topeka
until Storrs commenced his reign as
/ car.
DR.. Lowry said today: II do not
want to appear to criticise DR.. Storrs,
/ because he is q health officer and our
relations are supposed to be
harmonious. I can only say that it was
the custom Of DR. Swan, and is my
practice. to give out to the public any
and all information about contagious
diseases throughout the state that is
likely to be of public interest. The
public has right to know about such
things. We receive our reports from
the county health officers and the
health officers of certain cities above a
specified population and tabulate these
returns for the public We give the
/ location, character and extent of cpl
denies. and make this information
public through the press.
I can see no reason for suppressing
1 this information. 1t seems to me that
4 the same rules which apply to the state
apply equally to 4 municipality People
] have a right to know the truth about
contagious diseases. It prevents, rather
I than encOurag es tscares.' People should
/ be informed where contagIon exists IN
order that they may govern themselves
/ accordingly. I suppose that it hurts
I business in town to make public the
existence of an epidemic, but I am con-
WINGED that it is the best policy to tell
4 the truth about such things.
''Dr. Storrs has been very courteous
4 to me, and when I called him up yester-
day to inquire about the existence Of
contagion in Topeka, he gave me all the
/ information which he had received from
the physicians of Topeka Consequently
/ l do not want to cause any friction by
criticising his methods"
THINKS STORRs MAY LEARN.
City Attorney CnarteS T.. spencer Saldi
I TT seems to me DR.. Storrs is going toe
far. I don't know what the legal status
of the case is. or whether the record Of
4 contagious diseases is a public record That
I is matter which would have to be in
vestigated. But people who are IN city Of
/ fees are brought to realize before they
have been there very long that newspapers
are really very valuable part OF the city
machinery nd that it would be decidedly
announcement, TO say the least for the city
( government to get along without them
L Newspa pers might almost be considered 2
part of the city government AMI [ Trims
/ that DR.. Storrs viii find out that 1t is bet
| ter policy not to try to suppress the bust
ness of his office, except under extraordl-
/ nary circumstances
Joseph Csriley. member Of the board 81
/ public health and of the health and sani-
tation committee. says: 1T looks to me as
though DR.. Storrs was making a mistake
/ about this contagious disease business.
/ suppose that as a member of the board o.
I health I will have something to sas
about it. l have not been removed frorr
the board yet by Mayor Bergundthal anc
so / suppose L still hold office. Brt
think that information about contagious
/ diseases should be made public, as in tht
past If there is contagious disease If
/ my neighborhood, or an epidemic in town
! in some locality, | want 10 know it tol
/ the pprotection Of my family