The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-09-18
REVISED RULES OF
BOARD OF HEALTH
Common Drinking Cup Put In
der Ban by New State
Regulations

ed at the last meeting of the Board,
held in Seattle in July. This revision
of the rules is the most important
one that has been carried out since
the first rules OF the Board were
adopted
The new rule which will have the
most wide-sweeping effect Is the one
prohibiting the use Of the common
drinking cup after the 1st of Octo-
Der, 1912. This prohibition has been
extended to cover all places over
which the State Board of Health had
reasonable jurisdiction. In other
words, public buildings, streets, parks,
common carriers. places of amuse-
ment, schools and those portions Of
institutions for the care of the sick
that are open to the general public.
1t is not anticipated that there will
|ibe any serious objection to the en-
forcement of this rule, since the ex-
perience of several other states has
proven that it is feasible to enforce
this rule without working hardship
on the public, and every year dem
onstrates more clearly the very real
and alarming danger of transmission
of contagious diseases through the
common drinking cup. Investigations
conducted by the Kansas State Board
of Health a few years ago, demon
strated that the common drinking
cups collected at random in waiting
rooms and other public places, would
lyield disease producing germs from
practically every fourth cup or glass
collected and examined. Bubbling
fountains and individual cups will
supply the needs of the public every
where and will be found to be much
more satisfactory after the first few
weeks, after everyone has become ac-
customed to the fact that he must
look out for his own drinking uten-
sils. In a few years hence it is
probable that the rising generation
will consider it as barbarous to use
drinking vessels Unfortunately as
the common use of tooth brushes
would be considered at the present
time. t
Camp Sanitation
Two other important sections of
the revised rules are those regulating
the sanitation of camps and, of COM
mon carriers.
Another important section is the
one relating to prevention of the
transmission of disease through in
fected articles of food and drink.
Another important new section is
one relating to public schools. The
State Superintendent of Public In
|struction has had large edition of
these rules printed separately for dis
tribution among the school teachers
of the state.
In the handling of contagious dis
eases many important fundamental
changes have been made. the most
striking one being the removal Of
smallpox from the class of quaran-
tined diseases and placing it in the
class of contagious diseases subjec. to
isolation. In other words, handling 1t
in the same manner as measles is
handled at the present time. At the
same time permission is given to the
board of health of any county or city
to adopt rules of their own, providing
for the strict quarantine of smallpox
If such boards see fit The attitude
of the State Board of Health towards
the handling of smallpox Is based
upon the conviction, which Is grow
ling throughout the United States. that
inasmuch as in vaccination a reliable
preventive for this disease Is known,
that it is both unscientific and poor
economy to expend public money IN
the maintenance of rigid quarantine.
These rules do not by any means i'm
ply that a patient suffering from
smallpox is free to go about at will.
Any such person, as long as isolation
measures are maintained by the
health officer, is just as liable to
prosecution for breaking quarantine
for smallpox. but 1t does mean that
other people on the same premises
are not to be restrained against their
will with the patient All health Of
ficers are charged with urging upon
all persons exposed the advisability
of being vaccinated, and also provis-
ion is made by which those exposed
shall be attended free Of charge by
the health officials when smallpox ac-
tually exists in a community. But
beyond this measure no restriction Is
placed upon other inmates of the
house containing smallpox patient.
Control of Contagion
For the first time discrimination
is made as to the degree of control
of different contagious diseases, there
being in one class the diseases which
are still maintained under strict quar-
antine. which have been reduced to
diphtheria and scarlet fever, with the
exception of such diseases as the
plague and Asiatic cholera, which it
is to be hoped will not be reported
within this state at any time in tho
future, and, second, the class of dis
eases which are placed under isola-
tin measures-the fundamental prin-
ciples for the control of this class Of
disease being based upon prompt re-
ports, the placing of placards so as to
warn the public and isolating the
sick patient from other members OF
the household, but not restraining
other members from going about
their usual occupations. The great
mojority of diseases have now been
placed in this class and 1t is the
opinion of many members of the
board that with the constantly in
creasing knowledge as TO the nature
of transmission of contagious dis
eases that In few years 1t will be
found that this rational and common
sense method may prove all that may
be necessary for the proper control
OF scarlet fever and piphtheria. which
diseases are known as most typically
malignant contagious diseases