The Washington times., 1908-01-23
SCARLET FEVER
N HENRY SCHOOL
CAUSES COMPLAINT
Health a n d Education
Boards Charged With
Dereliction of Duty.

Charging that the Health Department
and the Board of Education are flag
rantly negligent in not closing the Henry
public school. on account Of two cases
Of scarlet fever discovered therein Jan
uaTy 20, Charles Denham, a patron of
the school has filed emphatic protest
with The Times. He alleges that the
Health Department has declined tC
listen to his complaint
According 10 Ar. Denham, who resides
az 1884 Eighth street, and is manager OF
q Rhode Island avenue coal concern, ii
was discovered on Monday that two
children. Bessie Weinberg and Abraham
Weinberg, OF 1893 Seventh street. were
cOnValescent from scarlet fever. their
hands having reached the .'pee.iug
stage commonly admitted to be the
most contagious stage Of the disease
This statement IS borne on, by G sicials
OF the high schools and the Health
department, the Weinberg home nov
being under quarantine
The children were Immediately sent
home, after medical inspection and the
rooms in which they were pupils were
IumiSated over night Mr.. Denham al
hyde used were so strong the next morn
ing as to Inhame the eyes Of his young
daughter. on learning that scarlet feYeI
had been detected IL the school, Mr..
Denham Immediately Withdrew his chill
dreH. although school officials informed
him there was no danger Of infect on.
Inquiry OF the mother Of the tao chill
dTcn sent home by the medical inspector
brought denial Jhat her children had
scarlet fever and she expressed indigua-
ucn that lie house had been put under
quarantine II appears that during the
holidays the children contracted the
complaint. and being q believer in The
eHCacy or home treatment, she did nOJ
employ physician. The fact that the
children had scarlet fever did not be-
come known 10 the authorities until the
cutlcle began 20 fan from their hands in
the Henry school Monday
Health Onlcer Woodward made the
following statement this afternoon.
IleTe IS no danger of CouLaglOn In
the Henry School. The Health Depart
ment has followed the usual course In
Hlcl matters Schools are very seldom
closed in instances Of this kind. II
would require an epidemic. As soon as
the cases We're reported the rooms in
which the children studied were her
metiCaly sealed and fumigated over
present the next morning. The remain
ing pupils are kept under constant sur
EelllanCe and should one break out he
would be Immediately sent home. 1 do
not appreleud any further trouble. il
"olid De useless 10 close schools. how
ever, Tor the disease would be cons
tTdcted before the original pupils af-
fected We're sent home and not after
me rooms were tumlgated and thorough
ly aired.
The Health Department tries not %
interfere with the progress of education
unless absolutely necessary. and as ]
am responsible in such matters ] have
acted as 1 thought best. and DO not
think there Is necessity for alarm re-
gardless OF the claims Of Mr.. Deuham. ID
captain oyster said that The board
knew nothing whatever or the demand
OF any citizen that the school be closed
as SucH meters We're in the province Of
the Health DeparIU snJ Supervising
Principal Patterson, stationed i'm the
Henry School said every preCauuCu was
taken within an hour after tie Gisease
was discovered.
There has never been such quick
work, he said, in stamping out a DOS
sibIe disease as the rooms were cleared
and the fumlgation process in operation
within two hours after the medical of-
LCcT reported the prcSCLC- OF the Gu
tiCle. Incidents like -lis sometimes 0c-
cur. They are matters of routine anL The
scuool authorities generally cl ne with
them successfully without any lad after
effects"
INQUIRY among the pupils and teachers
at the Henry school deVe .OUed that here
was no uueaSlneSs existing among chem
as 10 any further outbreak Of the fever.
The Weinberg children viii not be al
lowed to return until they have recOv-
cred. They are now under the eye OF
rEe Health DeUaTfmeur