The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-08
D|PTHER|4 SIGN
STOPS A SCHOOL
Janitor's Wife at "Cen-
tenniaI" Sick.
When the Sign Went up on House, the
Principal Dismissed School For
the Day-.-The School Commit
tee to Decide as to Stop
ping Sessions.

A piece of cardboard tackled by a
doctor on the house of the ianitor of
the Centennial Public School yester-
day gave some hundreds of school
butted' an unexpected half-holiday.
The trouble with the card was that
it spelled "Diptheria" a thing to
throw fond mammas into apprehen-
sive spasms in spite of anti-toxius and
the advanced medical knowledge that
has made a dread disease one that
yields readily to treatment.
The patient who is sick is Mrs. Fer
rail-, the wife of the janitor of tbs
school. The Ferralls live in the school
grounds, which are large and ample,
in a house which at it's neares. point
is siXty-feet removed from the school
buildings.
Mrs. Ferrall was under the treat
ment of Doctors Rogers and Nc
Geachy. who yesterday after State
Gacteriologist Gerald Mccarthy had
made a microscopical examination of
their patients throat. diagnosed the
case as diptheria. This was about II
o o'clock. As soon as the card appeared,
Mrs. Barbee, the principal Of the
school, took the authority o. at once
dismissing the pupils. f cling that it
was but just to parents not to detain
the children without their knowledge
of the circumstances.
The boys and girls trooped UP Fay
etteville street IN high glee, their con-
eern being only the gladness of child
hood az q day out of school.
No Danger to Children.
DIR. McGeachy. whom l saw an hour
or so after the children had been dis
missed, stated that he did not con-
slider that the case could reaSona bly,
be considered menace to the chill
dren attending the school. Diptheria.
said he, was a disease that was more
nearly contagious" than infectious"
that is that it was not readily COM
municated except by contact; and. as
the case is. of course. closely uuaran-
tined, he did not see any danger in it
to the pupils in the school.
DR.. Rogers states that the case is
one. of the mildest form and that
without the microscopical examina-
ton. it could not have been positively
diagnosed as diptheria.
Decision for School Board.
superintendent E. P. Moses. who
was seen last night and asked as to
whether or not the schools would be
opened on Monday. replied that, eX-
cept in cases of emergencies, he had
no power to close the schools. and that
the course to be pursued with respect
to the Centennial was a question for
the decision of the School Board. AS
today is a holiday, anyway. the board
did not meet to consider the situation
yesterday afternoon, preferring to
await developments and determine the
question of closing at a meeting to be
held today.
1t is thought by those familiar with
the circumstances that the school will
open as usual on Monday morning.
the matter of the children's attend
ance being one that can be determined d
by the individual parent.
Only Three Other Cases.
A number of physicians who have
been seen are able to report but three
other cases in the city. All of these
are progressing favorably, the disease
being of mild form in each instance.
In view of the considerable trouble
at Goldsboro, Raleigh has up to this
time been peculiarly fortunate in es-
Gaping epidemic.