The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-03-02
CLAIMS CITYS RECORD GOOD
Declares That Complete Enforcement
Of Laws to Prevent Tuberculosis is
AImWst Impossible Main
tenance of ofica
(From Tuesdays Daily

Dr. d. Is. SpaIQlnS, peCletdAy Va 0AN
Kenosha Board of Health and as such
health officer of the city has sent out
an open letter in response to state
ments made by Miss Sarah Ryder in
regard to conditions in the city. The
letter follows:
Editor Evening News:
There appeared in yesterdays issue
of the News, the substance of an adj
dress by Miss Sarah Ryder, a nurse
employed by the State tuberculosis
Society, which was delivered on Sum
day evening before an audienc in the
Congregational church.
This address was only remarkable,
by it's misstatement of facts, and as
Health Officer of Kenosha, I feel it
encumbent upon me, to correct rev
of her insinuations against the City
administration. Kenosha has long, and
still enjoys the distinction of being the
most healthful city of its size in the
state of Wisconsin. There has not
been a single contagious disease re-
ported in the city for the past two
weeks. It's record of contagious dis
eases, and its death rate are lower
than that of any city of equal size in
the state.
1t is true there are sometimes spor-
adic instances where sickness is the
result of uhhygienic environment, but
this is decidedly the exception, and ap-
plies with even Create force to al
most every other community
Our poor are cared for as kindly
and conscientiously as in any other city
in the world and there is no worthy
individual in INDECENT circumstances,
who has ever applied to the city's char
ity in vain, or who has been denied
every needed comfort and aid
Miss Sarah Ryder, deplored the lax
ity of our health laws, and declared
that the Council had not revised them
since 1883, when she alleges, "diph-
liberia, small pox, scarlet fever, meas
les, whooping cough and cerebro spin
al meningitis were regarded as mild
diseases inevitable to childhood, and
the sooner contracted the better"
AS matter of fact, the Common
Council has long recognized the true
contagiousness of diphtheria and scar
let fever, and these are promptly pla-
carded, and when reported we'll by
the attending physician, the places are
thoroughly fumigated by the best and
most approved method known.
Measles and Whooping cough, in ac-
cordance with the state laws, are not
placarded for the reason that the laity
does not, in the majority of instances,
employ medical aid in the treatment
of these cases, but they are all fumi-
gated before the children are permit
cd to return to school.
The city does fumigate the homes
after deaths from tuberculosis, as Miss
Sarah Ryder could have learned, had
she cared to consult the records which
are on file both in the City Clerk s
and my office.
In this connection, however, / de-
sire to point out the utter ridiculous
ness of this procedure, and to show
wherein the present movements for the
stamping out of consumption is made
quate and waste of time and means.
| do not say this in any spirit of
malice towards nay detractors, nor in
disparagement of the motives which
have prompted so many noble and self.
sacrificing men and women to enlist
in this work of Kidding the world of it's
most formidable foe, but / am conf
dent the methods now employed will
not suffice. tuberculosis in my opin,
ion, will never be eradicated until each
state is induced through the medium
of far-sighted and unselfsh representa-
tives, to build commodious sanitoriums
for the complete segregation of all
persons suffering from the disease.
1t is folly to believe that patients
will always rigidly conform to such i'm
perative rules and regulations as are
laid down by the present tuberculosis
society, and consistently employ san
itary sputum cups and paper napkins,
and carry these about with them
wherever they 60.
1t is practically impossible, especial
ly in advanced stages of the disease.
to care for these unfortunates in the
manner above described, and in conse-
quence, the clothing and rooms thus
occupied, in spite of every precaution,
cannot fail to invite the dissemination
of these deadly disease germs.
The puerile objection to this plan
was raised by one of the local members
OF the tuberculosis society, that it
would entail cruel sacrifice to separ-
ate consumptive from his family,
even while admitting that it would
probably prevent its farther spread
from that individual.