The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-28
Commissioners Plan to Es-
tabliSh Quarantine Against
Disease.
COUNSEL FOR CITY
TO DRAW MEASURE
Health Department Is Without
Authority to Compel Reports
From Patients.

Accepting the theory OF Health Of
fcer Woodward that the spread Of in
fantne paralysis nav be caused by an
terror poliomye,itis carriers. persons who
bear the same relation to the disease as
typhoid carries" bear 10 the spread OF
typhoid fever. the Commissioners have
requested the Corporation Counsel 10
draft legislation authorizing the adop-
typhoid carriers, bear 20 the spread OF
infantile paralysis
The legislation viii be so framed as
to require the establishment OF q quar-
antine and the reporting Of all cases Of
infsntfle paralysis 20 the Health De
psrtment. The difficulty OF enforcing
such regulations and the fact that Con
Eress has specifically named the dis
eases 70 be reported 20 the Health De-
partment are the reasons given by
Health Officer Woodward for not hav-
ing previously recommended such legis-
IatiOn-
Action Is Urged.
Necessity for immediate action is urged
by Emile Berliner IN the following let
ter recently addressed TO the Commis-
sioneTs.
May I prevail on you to take prompt
action with regard 10 that dreadful dis
ease. infantile paralysis? This disease
Is one Of the worst known, has a NOR
tality record Of 1914 per cent and leaves
the patient a cripple
1T is admitted u be contagious and
you should order all cases 10 be report
Cd and the houses plaCarded as IN the
case Of scarlet fever and dlphtherlas
which are less serious IN results Itils
is an emergency and unless prompt ac-
ton is taken, tie result may be terri
bic Tor the Washington children
In answer 10 this the following state
ment was made BY Health OfRcer Wood
ward
Congress has specifically enumerated
certain communicable diseases which
must be reported To the Health Officer
Moreover. Congress ,Tas with reference
vested the Commissioners with power 20
make regulations 70 restrict their
spread As general proposition, there
IOTes the inference may oe drawn that
the Commissioners have 10 right under
their general authority 10 promuleSate
regulations relating TO public health. 30
than those specified by Congress-, or 70
pronuiSate regulations for he restric-
uOr Cf the spread OF diseases with re-
spect 10 which no specific statutory
ers
Power to Acs.
IF the Commissioners had been vested
with authority TO require the reporting
OF communicable diseases generally. and
generally to make regulations for the
restriction Of the spread Of such dis
cases il appears unlikely that Congress
would have been called upon to act with
respect thereto
FOR the reason stated above and be
cause OF the difficulty Of prescribing By
statute or regulations, the measure that
VIII prevent the spread Of infantile par
alysis, I have refrained from recon- .
ulgatiOn of any regulation concerning it. Z
The exact time when cOmmUnicab abiIity
begins and when IL ends are not known ;
but il seems likely that the disease IS
communicable before the onset Of para
Iy1iC symptoms As TIE disease is praC-
ticaIIv never recognized before the on
set OF such symptoms. preventive meas
uTes cannot be enforced IN the manage
ment OF a case prior TO their onset and
therefore no regulation would success
fully prevent the spread Of the disease +
during that period
Period Of Quarantine
1t is generally believed by those who
have most carefully considered the sub
ject that infectivity continues at least
IS long as there is any elevation OF
temperature, but how much longer is
not known II therefore, quarantine
were established by Tegulat ton, there
would be at the present time 10 sound
basis for the determination of the time
when quarantine should be raised
1t seems probable, too, that the dis
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