The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-04

Archie Roosevelt the Presidents third
son, is i'll with diphtheria, and the White
House is i'm quarantine In an official
statement issued from the Presidents Of
fees yesterday announcing the fact, il
was said:
He now seems to be doing we'll He is
isolated in the southeast room Of the
White House, and strict quarantine is be-
Ing observed"
The case is of a rather severe and vtru-
lent type, and first made it's appearance
on Friday last, when Archie took TO his
bed and a physician was called Diphtheria
was suspected from the first. but the case
was not diagnosed for a certainty until
Saturday. The matter was kept quiet
until yesterday, when the official bulletin
was issued from Secretary Loeb's Office,
with the additional information that the
presence Of contagious disease In re-
mote corner Of the White House would
not interfere with the transaction of
business in the Presidents offices.
The quarters used by the President and
the clerical force Connected with the
White House are in ii small building
located between the Mansion and the
State War and Navy Building, and con
nected with the former by a long terrace,
in which the laundry is situated
Only One Room Quaruntined
Tt was announced that only the single
room occupied by the young patient would
be quarantined, no further precaution
/ against a spread Of the disease being
7 considered necessary. In some cases the
health officer quarantines "a whole house
when diphtheria, scarlet fever. or any
other contagious disease appears but it
was explained that in a house as large
as the White House il is unnecessary TO
place quarantine over the whole build
ing.
No anxiety for the President is ex-
! pressed az the White House, the belief
being that he has not had an opportunity
10 contract the disease. II is not quite
clear just when Mr. Roosevelt last saw
Archie, but il was said that it was at
/ least three or four days since they had
met On the other hand, II appears that
/ Archie has been ailing for several days.
and that all last week he complained
of not feeling well. 1t was thought at
/ first that he was suffering from a light
attack Of grip.
! The President. at any rate is not con-
/ Cerned for his own health, and he went
out horseback riding as usual yesterday
/ afternoon. Other members Of the family
remained within doors. although servants
/ We're coming and going as usual The
room In which the sick boy Is lying is
/ In the extreme southeast corner Of the
/ White House, on the second floor, where
I the apartments are strictly private and
are never entered by any except the inti-
mate friends or acquaintance Of the
/ Presidents family.
In the Old "War Room"
Archie's sick room was, before the re-
modelling Of the White House in 1902. used
as the telegraph Office, and was famous
/ all over the country as the war room
| during the conflict between the United
States and Spain. Nearly all the rooms
4 in the White House are separated from
each other by solid brick walls, and it is
! expected that visitors will be received
on the first floor Of the mansion as usual
during the present week.
/ Archie Roosevelt attends the Friends
Select School in Washington No other
cases have appeared in the school. as far
/ as can be learned. The sick boy is being
Iattended by Surgeon General Rixey, of
/ the navy. the Presidents physician.
/ The White House was quarantined only
/ once before. That was in the winter of
/ 1929 when Marthena Harrison, Presi-
/ dent HarrisOns granddaughter. was i'll
with diphtheria a very strict quaran-
/ tine was then maintained. At that time
the Presidents Offices were in the White
i House proper, on the same floor with
/ the bedrooms. and as a precautionary
measure no general callers We're received
+ by President Harrison. The Christmas
of 1892 was a very gloomy occasion in
the big mansion.