The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-26
IRREsPONsIBLE TALN.


Much of the excitement and fear over
the possible spread of contagious dis
seases into dangerous epidemics is due
to the irresponsible talk of the multi
tudes. There's cholera in Boston
now announced a Topeka woman to a
party of friends the other night in a
voice that seemed to express a fear
that the people of Boston were about
to be wiped off the map by that Asiatic
plague. and that it wouldn't be surpris-
ing if it spread over the entire country.
The rest of the party shuddered. Thea
followed talk from everyone about cpl
denies of the past in which they had
participated or heard about. Inside of
a few moments all of them were keyed
up to a high pitch Of excitement and
worry over the possibility that at some
time in the immediate or distant future
they would be mixed up in some kind
of an epidemic that would send them to
the graveyard prematurely. And this
condition of mind was not good for
their nerves. It probably gave some of
the party sleepless nights.
Now what were the facts as to this
Boston cholera scare" a couple of thou
sand miles away from it. The newspa-
pers reported one death from cholera
in Boston and added that several per-
sons had probably been exposed. But
Boston is a city with population APP
proximating 600 What is one death
from cholera in a place of that size
even for a starter, and especially where
the health authorities are expert and
nave the facilities to handle situations
of this sort?
So too at home here in the matter
of the smallpox on the East side
Thanks to the untiring activities Of
Commissioner Stotts this little cpl
demic now seems to be under absolute
control. But it is remarkable the extent
of the fear that has developed among
many Topekans that it will spread TO
alarming proportions. That's all they
talk about, and most of their talk is
founded on reports and rumors thar
have sprung, the Lord only knows how,
out of nothing. Here's d case in point.
The other night many of the residents
of a suburban locality were almost
wrought up to the riot pitch over the
report that a family from the smallpox
district. and in which there was a well
developed case of the disease, had sud
denly moved into their midst. This
story ran that the owner of the prop
erty where this family had moved had
refused to rent it to them. But they
paid no attention to this refusal and
moved into the house whether or no
and in the dead of night. An investi-
cation showed that this fanny was not
denied the renting of the house, that
they moved in on the very day that an
other family had moved out. Further
more this family had not come from
the little area infected with smallpox
and there was not a case of sickness
of any kind in the family.
/ Similar groundIess scares that have
been peddled from mouth to mouth IN
Topeka and its vicinity for the past
/ few days are without number. There
is no desire here to make light of the
smallpox epidemic on the East side.
Every care should be taken to prevent
its spread, and that is now being done
But there is no sense in aggravating a
disturbing situation by irresponsible
talk about matters incident to it that
are mere Pigments of some ones imagi-