The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1907-05-10
DANGER FROM MENINGITIS.
Gases should Be Guaranteed and
Public Funerals Prohibited

Public Funerals Prohibited.
The prevalence Of meningitis in this
county. an epidemic Of extremely fatal
character, is causing considerable
alarm. Fully a half dozen cases have
occurred within the last two months
and Of the cases that have run Lnelr
full course, none, save one exception
have terminated In recovery 50 lar
as known, meningitis has never been
put under quarantine in this county,
and in some instances even public
funerals have been held
1t seems to be the opinion Of doc
tors that meningitis is an epidemic
simply, and not contagious But men
nights, like typhoid fever for instance
is a germ disease, and is doubuesS
contagious in an epidemic FORM
Danger from the disease is greaIly
Increased after death occurs and the
propriety OF holding a public funeral
is very questionable
There are several kinds Of menin-
gifts: cerebral, affecting either the
outer or inner covering OF the BRAIN
or both; and cerebrO-spinal, some
times called spotted feves Affecting
both spine and brain, are the two dis
tfnct types Of the disease.
Epidemic cerebrO-spinal meningi-
tbs is catalOgued in the kansas stat
utes as a disease dangerous TO public
health, and is under the order OF
quarantine along with small poXs
cholera. diphtheria, scarlet fever etc
And the statute goes further and says
that no public funeral shall be allow
/ ed in these cases, either at house or
church And since cerebrO-spinal men
nights is under the quarantine law
all the provisions for the raising OF
the quarantine must likewise be OBJ
served, such as fumigatiOn-
/ In some states there is no disJinc-
ton in the kind of meningitis, and eV-
! cry form Of it is put under the ban OF
the law as a disease dangerous to pub
lie health. And so it would not be out
Of place in Kansas If people should
exercise much precautiOn in avoiding
| the places where this malady exists
and the public generally would eX-
perience a feeling Of relief If the doc
| tors and board Of health would CO.
| operate in isOlating by quarantine eT-
1 cry case OF this character
| Not only is Kansas suffering from
i an epidemic Of meningitis but Iowa
| and Missouri has it The state board
| of health Of Iowa last week issued the
| following warning 70 the people OF
/ that state:
ssWhile we hesitate to alarm the
| people Of this state on any condition
I we feel that the prevalence Of menin-
/ gifts calls for the most prompt &C
i ton Of the state board and all the
health officers throughout the state
NO epidemic Of recent years has
/ been as threatening to the lives OF
/ IOwans as the present spread OF men
j lEElLlsr WHICH mas BGEAA pAC hdACAAN Al
/ Missouri and has now invaded TINS
/ state" according to an official state
| ment issued by the state board OF
Il health committee appointed to inYes-
| tigate the spread Of that disease.
| LAS there appears to be no known
method OF treating these cases with
success the gravest fears are TO be en-
tertained and the most decided &C
ton to prevent a further spread Of the
! disease taken
| After investigation OF cases near
at hand, we recommended to the
county health officers throughout the
state that the most rigid quarantine
be established wherever this disease
is found, that the cases be reported a
once to the secretary of the board and
that an approved method Of fumiga
ton for the premises be secured from
the state board before the rooms Of
| buildings are placed in general US
| after housing q case Of this nature
I'VE most earnestly urge that N
public funerals be held in cases o
this kind and that the citizens coop
crate in every possible way Wit
! health officers to prevent a spread o
the disease.
That almost every case Of thi
nature will prove fatal should b
: sufficient warning to the public an
tive measures urged at this time. W
: have today investigated a case at Ar
: keny, there being six children in tn
. family. The three girls are strOn
and healthy, one boy has succumbe
4 to the disease and the other two boy
are afflicted and little, if any, hope
/ entertained for their recovery.