The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-11-10
SAYS FUM|CATION ADVISABLE
DR.. G.. A. Harper Declares That Local
Health Officer Can Not Act Without
Action by Board of Health of Ken
oshae

health must give authority for fumiga
ting houses where cases of measles have
been prevalent before the health Of
icer has power to act is the opinion of
DR.. G. A. Harper of Madison, secretary
Of the State Board of Health and DR..
Harper insists that the health officer
may not act in this matter on his own
initiative without the power being given
to him by the board of health of the
city. The interest taken in the demand
for fumigation of houses on account of
measles was so great that representa-
tive of the Evening News interviewed
DR.. Harper on Wednesday afternoon
with the result that he declared that
the matter was one wholly for the de-
cision of the local board of health. In
speaking of the matter DR.. Harper said:
"The Wisconsin State Board of Health
has not made any regulation regarding
the placarding of houses or the fumiga-
have been prevalent. We have strongly
recommended this course to local boards
but the matter is one for the local
boards of health. / am aware of the
fact that in the city Of Kenosha the
Common Council is the board of health
and it may act on these questions when
called together as such board. AS the
state delegates to the local board the
right to fix regulations in regard to
these contagious diseases it of course
coufers on the board the right to ell
force them Ly law. | would not care
to discuss the ethics of the action Of
any local health officer in fumigating
houses where there were no placards
but the state board is convinced that it
is a wise precaution for houses where
measles are prevalent to have placards
ana for them to be fumigated. The
germs of measles may be carried in
clothing for some time after all appear
ance of disease has disappeared and
for this reason | personally regard fumi-
cation as wise precaution in stopping
the spread of the disease. | do not be-
lieve however, that any local health
officer can arbitrarily make rules for
placarding and fumigating without hay
ing an order of the local board of
health behind him. 1t seems to me that
the proper plan would be for the Ken
osha Board of Health to make some
provisions for care of these diseases
and by resolution or otherwise advise
the local health officer of his rights and
duties,
Such a resolution On the part of the
board of health would give the health
officer power to act which could be en-
forced by the laws of the state. These
diseases are prevalent in many commun-
tiles the same as in Kenosha and in
every case the State Board has urged
upon the local boards the necessity of
taking wise precautionary Measures
An examination of the records of the
Kenosha Board of Health fails to show
that the power referred to in the inter-
view with the secretary of the state
board has ever been placed in the hands
of the local health officer The city
council passed resolution agreeing to
pay the health officer fifty cents for his
services in fumigating house where
contagious disease had BEEN prevalent
but in this resolution no diseases were
enumerated. Under this resolution the
health officer has fumigated many hous.
es in the city but in keeping with the
statement of DR.. Harper it would ap-
pear that such an order should be spe.
cific as to the diseases and should be
made by the council sitting in its cap
acity as a Board of Health.