The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-01-24
Kenosha County Milk Is Being
Blamed for an Epidemic Of
Scarlet Fever in Chicago
NO FEVER REPORTED HERE
Wisconsin Authorities to Be Called
Upon to Aid the Chicago Health
Officers to Stop the Ship
ment of Bad Milk

Milk from the Powers Lake district
in this county has been placed under
the ban by the health officials of Chi.
cago as it is claimed that the milk
shipped to Chicago and the su',urbs
from Genoa Junction is A.le1 with
germs of scarlet fever and diphtheria.
An epidemic of these diseases is now
raging in Chicago, and according to
the statements made by the health
officials Of that city on Thursday an
effort is being made to blame the
prevalence of the diseases to the &C.
noa Junction milk.
One hundred and six new cases OF
scarlet fevertand diphtheria we're re-
ported in Chicago on Thursday, and it
lis claimed that nearly all of them
were in districts where milk shipped
from Genoa Junction was used.
A car of milk from the little Wal
worth county village which reached
Chicago Thursday morning was
ordered sent back and it is feared that
no more shipments of milk from that
district will be permitted to pass the
health officials in Chicago. The ban
may be placed over all milk shipped
over the Chicago and Rockford di-
vision.
Chicago papers state that members
of the Chicago board of health have
been sent to Genoa Junction to make
an examination of the dairies from
which the milk is being sent to Chi
cago. It is stated that later the health
officials of Wisconsin will be asked to
unite with the Chicago officials in
forcing the widest possible examina-
ton into the condition of the dairies.
The first indication received in Ke-
nosha that there was an epidemic of
scarlet fever at Genoa and the sur
rounding towns was sent out in the
Chicago dispatches last night. Few
cases of scarlet fever or diphtheria
have been reported in Kenosha during
the last few months and the cases
are not thought to have resulted from
the use of impure milk. None of the
milk from the Powers Lake region is
offered for sale in Kenosha, and the
supply Of most Of the local milk men
is secured from dairies near the city
limits.
The entire supply from the Powers
Lake region is sent to Chicago every
morning and it is claimed that this
district supplies large amount OF
the milk used in the suburbs of Chi
cago along the north shore. 1t is pos
sible that the Illinois board of health
will take this matter in hand and de-
mand that all shipments of milk from
Genoa Junction be returned until
such time as the health officers OF
Chicago have made an examination Of
the dairies and have given them a
clean bill of health. In the mean
time it is probable that many Kenosha
county farmers will lose large sums
of money on account of the fact that
it will be impossible for them to find
a market for the milk. The Genoa
Junction people claim that the censure
placed upon them is most unjust.
The Kenosha health off Gals have
received no request from the Chicago
officials to aid them in the work Of
making an investigat .of the milk
shipped from this county, but it is
probable that City Health Officer
Spalding will order an immediate ex-
animation of samples of milk sold by
Kenosha vendors of the tactical pro-
duct.