The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-04-04
Member of State Board Of
Health Returns to Madi-
son After Investigation.
MUST INSPECT The CHILDREN
Dr. Spencer Says guarantees Are Be
rig Maintained Fairly Well in Ken
osha and Much Better Than at For
mer Periods of Epidemic.

The scarlet fever situation in Keno
sha was thoroughly discussed at con
ference held at the police Office on
Sunday afternoon at which the prob
lem confronting Dthe city today was
discussed by Dir. L. E. Spencer of the
state board of health and many citi-
zens and men in official positions.
Some portions Of the meeting were
vitriolie and some of the things said
were distinctly personal, but out Of it
all it is certain that Kenosha is go
ing to get a better enforcement of
health laws than ever before.
Or. Spencer made many suggestions
to the officials and to the citizens and
left for Madison Sunday evening to
make his report to the state board of
health. What further action will be
taken by the board viii be largely
determined by the success or failure
of the new board Of health to meet
the conditions in the city and bring
relief. 1t is thought that the new
board will be ready to Begin work by
Wednesday morning at the latest and
it is probable that this board will at
once make suggestions which will IN a
measure carry out the suggestions of
the representative Of the state board.
Before leaving Mr., Spencer conferred
at length with members Of the new
board and he has promised to aid them
in getting their organization working.
Quarantine is now being fairly
we'll maintained in Kenosha,I' said
DR.. Spencer in speaking at the meet
ing, ''but it is evident TO you as it
is to me that there has been time
when the quarantine was not main
tanned. The history of all of these
epidemics is the same. The disease
GETS away from the officials and then
there is a lot Of complaints and this
forces a cleaning up. / have no doubt
but that this will be the result in
Kenosha. Il do not at this time see
any reason for closing the schools.
The board of health believes that it
is better to maintain quarantine than
to close things up. would suggest
strongly for Kenosha at this time a
daily inspection of the children of the
city Schools. This would not neces-
sarily be very expensive proposition.
One doctor could be assigned to each
Of the buildings and he would have a
chance to inspect every child that the
teacher suspects Of illness daily. This
YOU will find will do lot to aid in
bidding the-~city of the existing cpl
demic. / think that it would be an
admirable thing for the physicians and
the visiting nurse to adopt the plan OF
wearing gowns while attending fever
patients if for no other reason than
for the moral effect that it would
have on the people who are themselves
under quarantine. | am well aware OF
the fact that physicians differ as to
the ability Of the physicians who is
careful to carry the germs OF disease,
but the state board strongly recon-
mends the use of the gowns and a
covering for the head and face while
working with such cases. | am not
here to offer criticism to any one but
| want if possible to be helpful to
Kenosha and to the officials.
The discussion Of the conditions was
general one and many complaints
which had been sent to the state board
were taken up. DR.. Spencer showed
that he had investigated these com
plants and had found nothing OF a
serious nature in any Of them. Sew
eral of the men who. had signed the
telegram which called DR.. Spencer to
the city were present at the meeting
and they discussed conditions which
had brought about the sending of the
message The doctor agreed with
them they had taken the proper course
in calling the attention of the state
board to the situation and he gave
lit as his opinion that his short visit
in Kenosha would bring the people
and the officials into better under
standing Of what was necessary to
have the matter properly taken care
of.