The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-01-02

Inc National League for MEDICAL
Freedom. Indianapolis, Ind
December 81, 1911.
Editor TIMES:
Dear Sir--Your editorial of the 18th
regarding the matter of epidemic is
before me, and 1 just wish to ask the
questions: In the event that such
physician is employed to inspect the
school children. what school Of nedicine
will he belong to? Will all schools
of medicine be given an equal oppor-
tunity TO be employed and. therefore.
recognized? VIII the parents consent
be gained before the child is inspected?
/ think 1t will be we'll for your citi-
zens to look well into this matter be-
fore allowing the employment of regu-
lar inspectors for the schools. Recent
ly in indianapolis so-ca1led epidemic
of diphtheria prevailed. anaI thz very
fact which is deplored in unps - eoriai
took place. the practical closing Of the
schools. Through the verw vide pub
licity given the matter il sEe press,
hundreds of children WEE Kept from
the schools. and teacher re he adiing
only a handful. A gres a4any PARENTS
objected, but only a sas 81 ne OBJ
| jections were allowed 80 to re
papers. Very frequensiy family
physician disagreed VIZ, tss ir2Dsct-
| ing physician and fa.say zusrA'stinss
| were compelled where Rec wis 10
need for 1t. and it was ssaseN as7 s1es
were using every 1geeatati<ns ths
parents having no recgu.sa 50 all n
a number of instance - ere
forced against their vii. to BE snspsct-
| ed. and in ore case the ctfa w.
thrown into Mysteries. This hf~5sgS Z.
| compulsion. and that Is an nSiy wer /
| to an American citizen. 1t Is as st2u :
tration of bureaucratic government d
| following the assertions of siie sosstsc al
doctors regarding their Ses res, is
merely an entering wedge s easn he
way for state medicine 6 ssaie IA sdi-
cine is as objectionable IS stale re-
ligion would be.
/ The epidemic of diph<nr q Indi-
| annapolis is a good itlnSssssfasN 81 the
4 effect fear has on the g1ssre1 pHblic.
1t drove thousands int 3esars' offices.
depopulated the schools and eaHsed a
general disturbance of school condi-
tions which was worse than closing
them outright. This "epidemic?" was
heralded all over the country and
pointed to In other cities as one OF the
very good reasons why we should have
bureau of health which, we are told
men of the American Medical associa-
ton, would provide "One portal for the
practice of medicine and put out of
business all other schools of healing.
Let me quote you from the Municipal
News of Oct. 18th:
DictatorinI Supervision of Public
Schools.
Culture men of the Indianapoli:
board of health have been kept busy
for weeks examining spittie of schoo
. children for diphtheria bacilli. 1t is
said that no amount of anti-toxin vii
kill bacilli, it requires swabs and gar
giles to kill them, anti-toxin is said t.
operate only to neutralize the poison
! thrown off by the bacilli. 1t is claim
; ed by doctors, who have employment
because of the diphtheria scare. that
child may have dphtheritic bacilli il
its throat. without suffering any i'll eff
: fects therefrom. but the child so af
fected is quarantined and treated will
anti-toxin because If it were not. /
would spread diphtheria to others II
many towns and cities of the state
boards of health are taking over TIL
supervision of the schools. examinin.
the threats of chillren and issuin,
quarantine orders incidentally o
course. charging TOT the services O
physicians. employed to supervise chill
T. , dren in normal health as we'll as chill
dren who really have sore throats
Il There is. however. limit to the for
bearance of an intelligent and toleran
public. There seems to be no adequat
reason for general supervision of tn
s public schools, including children :
a good health, because a few children be
: lcome afflicted with sore threats. Furth
. Ter. the public is not convinced tina
antitoxin is the neutralizer it is claim
i: ed to be. Anyway if swabs and gargle
are the only cures, parents have bee
r using them for century The publ
s is likely to make fuss, unless board
D of health recede from their dictoris
supervision of all school childre
whether or not they have sore throat
In the light of the above would it n
be well for our citizens to look well
their interests before permitting such
thing to take Place?
= Indiana Branch of the National Leagt
Fl for Medical Freemod.
= W. S. GILBREATI, Sec'y.