The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-05-15

This is an astounding thing. The
worst of it is that it will come
true unless you cooperate with
those already battling with disease
that is ruthlessly crushing out the
lives of the little ones and the poor
too poor to help themselves.
There is one worse thing. 1t is
this:
Half of these deaths can be pre-
vented and maybe two thirds.
Prevented by keeping air and milk
sweet and pure. If you are a
mother or a father you will realize
what this means. If you do not
you will when you see the grim fig
ure Of death stalking down your
street, counting, one, two, three.
four, five-taking one new born
baby in five-stopping perhaps at
your house, perhaps next door.
To the people who have to fight
daily to keep the wolf from the
door-listen. 1t is your babies who
will be first to go.
To the people who have money
enough or more than enough
to you. If you only knew it, is a
priceless blessing and Joy waiting
the joy of saving babies lives.
Right here in Spokane now
there are little ones burning with
the murderous fever and crying
out In hunger, yet empty cup
boards mock their cries for bread.
Fathers and mothers are weeping
in want for baby's cries In hunger
pains them sore. Yet they, too,
are helpless-they are under quar-
antine and at the mercy of fate.
Out at 1917 Cataldo avenue four
little children are abandoned to
this fate. Their names are Holt.
Their mother is In the asylum at
Medical Lake. Their father, a
| common laborer with heavy bur-
den to bear at best, is penned in
there with them without a penny
to his name. For three long,
weary weeks, while three of his
little ones writhed in the tortures
of scarlet fever, he has stayed
there and nursed them, fearing
they, like others, would be swept
from him.
Their food is gone, and though
the Associated Charities is helping
them as best it can, it's burden is
also great Its funds are shortened
by the havoc the fever has played,
and three more long. dreary weeks
of isolation confronts that sicken-
ed, hungry family.
Further down the street, at 442
Cataldo avenue. Mrs. Smith, a pow
erty stricken widow and her sick
little child, are fighting life's bat
ties alone. They, too, are under
quarantine and are without food.
Just food, that is all they must
have Just now. but that must come.
for they are dependent on poor
neighbors' charities.
This baby, too. had the fever,
and mother, whose only means Of
support Is her washtub and board
and her own brave spirit. is shut
away from work.
Many more cases just like these.
just as pitiable and just as urgent
and deserving, will mar this great,
prosperous city-prosperous to
those in better mck--unless money
and power operate speedily and eff
| fectively TO clean up the filth that
breeds deadly fevers and aid those
who are stricken and whose re-
| sources are exhausted.
Tie up your dogs and pen up your
| cats, keep the children away from
| them and shun them like a thing
unclean. for their glossy pelts that
, you love to stroke and pat are
laden with treacherous scarlet
fever germs.
"If We could kill of all the cats
and all the dogs we would figure
that one great point in our battle
against the spread of scarlet fever
contagion had been scored" said
Health Officer Grieve today. I'VE
have warned every family we have
placed under quarantine so far to
keep away from their dogs. and
either to keep them in the house or
ont of the house all the time
Members of the health board
mapped out plan for speedy
change In the method of conduct
ing the campaign against the
spread of scarlet fever this morn
ing which will be placed before
the city council at Its next meet
ing,