The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-09-29

IN reporting eases Of contagious dis
eases, has become a grave menance
to the public health of Plymouth
until now, an epidemic of scarlet
fever, is seriously threatening this
city.
On or about August 25th, Henry.
the two year old child of Mr.. and
Mrs. Carl Ebert, took i'll with a
malignant disease. The symptoms in
dicated that the disease was contaei-
Gus. The child grew worse. and
neighbors reported to the city health
officer, DIR. j. S. Martin, that the case
appeared to be scarlet fever. On
Sept. 4th, the attending physician
tardily reported to the city
health officer that the Ebert child
was suffering with scarlet fever. I'm
mediately the. house was placed un-
der quarantine. On the next day Sept
9th, the child died. Neighbors had
been exposed to the disease by the
score, through the criminal negli-
gance of the attending physician.
who neglected to report the case.
Four days later, on Sept. 9th, an
other child, named Conrad, and three
years Of age, died of the same dis
ease.
Eight days ago, Russell, the twelve
year old son of Mr.. and Mrs. Al
Beldon, residing in Johnstown. or
the vicinity east of the Blain bridge,
took down with an ailment. Another
doctor attended this ease. He failed to
report a case of contagious disease.
The condition of the sufferer grew
worse. Again neighbors reported the
case to the city health officer who
investigated. On Thursday afternoon
as soon as he learned of the circum-
stances connected with the case, DIR.
Martin ordered the house quarentin-
ed and instructed City Marshall
Jacoby to have a scarlet fever sign
placed on the residence, whereupon,
the attending physician emphatically
maintained that the child was suffer-
ing with tonsilitis, and no contagi-
Gus disease. He told Marshal Jacoby
that if a quarantine sign were placed
on the house, he would tear 1.-The
rag dawn. Friday night after sup
per. Martin went to the house with
scarlet fever sign, determining to
exercise his authority. and place the
house under quarantine. The doctor
placed Diptheria sign on the house
Two hours later at 900 0 o'clock, the
boy died.
Liable to Prosecution.
Both of the two above physicians
are liable to prosecution, under the
state statutes. for criminal negli-
gence. By their actions. the health
of the city of Plymouth, has been
gravely menanced, and the city is
threatened with an epidemic of scar
let fever.
In regard to the Beldon case, il
matters little whether the case was
scarlet fever or dipther;a. DIR. Martin
the health officer two days before
death ended the sufferings of the u
year old boy, expressed his firm opin-
ion that the case was scarlet fever,
and that the boy could nor recover
Eley maintained that the ease was
tonsilitis, until two hours before his
death. when the doctor acknowled-
ged that the case was diptherIa The
neighborhood in both the Ebert and
Beldon vicinities are greatly wrought
up over the incidents, and feeling
runs high.
Traces the Epidemic.
Marshall Jacoby, in an interview
with a Tribune reporter, Saturday
morning, told how he had good evi-
dence In tracing the scarlet fever
eases. Early in the spring of this
year. two cases of scarlet fever broke
out in Johntown. They were in the
families of John Kintch, and Eugene
Knappen. Children of these families
suffered severe eases, and recovered
with a narrow escape from death.
After the first Ebert child died, the
father told marshall Jacoby, that he
believed that the child had contracts
ed the disease at the Myer Franklin
junk yard, which is just across the
street from his home. He said that
the children continually played in
the rags at the junk barn Suspecting
that the disease might have come
from the Jomnstown cases, Jacoby in
vestieated the possibility of sale Of
the rags from Johnstown, to the junk
dealer. His suspicious were quickly
confirmed, when he found that the
Beldon boy, who died Friday night,
had few weeks before. collected old
rags from the Kimch, Knappen and
other families i'm the vicinity of his
home, and sold them TO Franklin.
OF course Franklin is not at all to
blame, and could not know of the
condition.
Statement BY Health Officers
Tho follouipn ct..tamopf xroC ic