The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-07-10
WHY EPIDEMIGS SPREAD
DR.. w. r. MCConvill. Secretary Board
of Health, ENhorts Parents to
Obey Quarantine Law to Check
Disease.

/ llISthSt.
In order that we may intelligently
apply preventive measures for the
suppression of disease 1t is absolute
ly essetial that we have the hearty
/ cooperation of the public. Without
their cooperation all health laws
I become a negligible quantity and
might as well have never been writ
I ten. When our legislators at Har-
risburg caused to be passed upon our
statute books certain laws for the
guidance of our health officers they
did not intend to cause any unneces-
sary hardships to individual families
/ even though at times obedience to
| these laws may greatly Inconvenience
those that are unfortunate enough to
| have some contagious or infectious
| disease within their household.
/ Health laws are made with the idea
of the greatest good to the greatest
number. That is why a certain per-
iod Of quarantine is established for
different diseases for during the
| time it is possible for the patient to
transmit the disease to others it is
not only dangerous but criminal for
the patient to come in contact with
others.
During the past eight weeks an
| epidemic of measles has been pre-
yalent in Honesdale and vicinity,
schools have bee nclosed, houses
! quarantined and many people put to
great deal of inconvenience by the
carelessness of their neighbors due
to the fact that they utterly disre-
garded the quarantine law and help
ed spread a contagious disease in
stead of assisting the health authOri-
ties to combat it.
A chain is no stronger than its
weakest link and though the state
laws may be forged ever so strong
| if the connecting link between the
health inspector and the patient is
only t1imsy preteXt at compliance
with the existing quarantine law, it
is at once reduced to an absurdity
and soon becomes a farce. There
are some honest people who do not
believe in quarantine, yet this does
not excuse them from obedience to
the law. There are others that think
fumigation does no good. However,
the law says it must be done wher-
ever contagious disease has been
present. Some others believe they
can fumigate themselves. But the
law expressly says it must be done
are certain others that refuse to pay
for fumigation in the borough. Why
they should do so has not been as
certained as yet but they should
know the health officer pays him
self, in the Board of Health, for the
| formaldehyde and as his time is
worth something 1t is supposed he
will be reimbursed by the tenant of
| the property where a contagious dis
ease exists.
If every household where measles
or any other contagious disease exists
will live up to the law as laid down
by the State Board of Health which
the Health Inspector informs him of,
| we will soon be rid of measles and
have within this beautiful borough
of Honesdale a health resort instead
of breeding place for disease.
T Most contagious diseases are pre-
ventable today and if the public once
| become familiar with that scientific
fact and know the important part
each individual plays in the health of
| his community we could get along
with less dcctoring and spend more
| time increasing the wealth and hap
| piness of our common county.
DR.. w. T. McCONVILL,
Secretary Board of Health.