Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-10
Health Office Discovers Fail
ure to Report Contagion.
CASES AT INFANT ASYLUM
Matter Referred to Corporation
C0unsel-Claim That Violation
Was Not Intentional.

DR.. Woodward, health officer. believes
that there have been two violations of
the law regarding contagious diseases
at st. AIMS Infant Asylum. 200 X
street northwest, and the names of Sister
Agnes, In charge. and DR.. Murray A.
Russell, a physician who attended cilil>
dren with measles at the asylum. will
be referred to the corporation counsel,
with a recommendation that police prose-
cutions be commenced.
Four deaths from measles occurred at
the asylum between Friday and Sunday.
They were reported to the health Office
in formal manner on the death reports,
but DIR. Woodward declares that no re-
port Of the original cases was made to
his Office. Furthermore. Deputy Health
officer Sawtelle, who made partial In
vestieation, today said that there have
been many cases Of measles at the asy-
lum, and that he found that little or. no
effort was made to isolate the sick chill
dren.
Bulletin Issued.
DR.. Woodward learned that there had
been measles In the asylum late y-ester-
day afternoon. and Immediately issued
a bulletin, In which 1t was stated:
Upon investigating the situation 1t was
learned that there had been twenty-four
cases OF the disease In the institution. No
report was sent to the health office and
no effort was made to isolate the sick
from the we'll children"
A medical officer attached to the con-
tagiOus disease service made an invest-
CATION Of the alleged failure OF the asy-
lum physicians to report the cases OF
measles to the health office. He reported
to Dr. Woodward at noon today that he
blames. Dr. Murray A. Russell for the
! failure. Following the report Dr. Wood
ward said to a Star reporter:
II will give the names of Sister Agnes
and DIR. Russell to the corporation coun-
sci today and recommend that prosecu-
lions be commenced in the Police Court.
Violation Not Intentional.
An effort was made to locate DR.. Rus
sell, but 1t was unsuccessful. Sister
| Agnes. who has charge Of the asylum,
| told Dr. Sawtelle that there had been nc
| mediately took steps to isolate the few
cases now on hand at the asylum.
The law which DR.. Woodward says ha!
been violated Is an act Of Congress ap
proved February Z, 1907. 1t says tina
| every person In charge Of any patient IL
| from one OF several contagious diseases
| including measles, Immediately after be
| coming aware of the existence of sucl
disease shall send to the health onicer o.
said District certificate written in ink
| signed by such person. stating the nam,
| Of the disease, the name, age and &c,
| Of the person suffering therefrom and tn.
| school which he or she has attended, Il
| any, and setting forth by street and mum
Der or by other sufficient designation tn,
| location Of the house. room or other place
| in which said patient can be found.
Scope Of the Law.
The term person in charge" is GOV.
| cred in the act to include, first, eacI
physician in attendance upon. called 1,
to visit. or examining a patient, unies,
called in to visit or examine the patien1
solely as consultant to q physician al.
ready In attendance Following that
various members of the family or near.
est friends are indicated as being the
proper persons to make the report OF
measles to the health ONCE The penalty
Is fixed at a fine not exceeding a hun.
dred dollars or thirty days imprison.
ment.
The regulation which requires the iso.
lation Of patients with measles Is On
order of the Commissioners, adopted
April g. 1907. A fine Of $50 for the firsl
| offense ia provided