The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-05-29
EFFICIENCY WINS A VICTORY
The Sixteen Months Fight of Kenosha
Against Disease is Only Begun De
clares Health Commissioner Seeks
Aid to Keep Disease Out of City.

Efficiency has won a real victory in
Kenosha for on Wednesday for the
first time in many years the health de
partment was able to report that not
a single one of the dreaded red
scarlet fever signs were disiguring
houses in Kenosha. The last quaran-
tine for the disease was lifted on We'd
nesday and there is not even sus-
picious case under the care of the
health department. The stamping out
of the disease comes as the close of
hard fight extending over nearly eigh-
! teen months. The results attained are
especially gratifying to the members
of the board of health and the officials
working under the board. 1t is the
| first time in four years that Kenosha
has been entirely free of scarlet fever.
A year ago there were some fifteen
cases in the city and this number was
continued through most of the summer
season. There was slight increase in
the number of cases during the winter
months, but the officials kept eternal
ly at it until the last case was stamp
ed out.
'Of course we are gratifed to find
that the last scarlet fever quarantine
has been removed, said DR.. j. J.
McShane, commissioner of public
health this morning" but we want the
people to appreciate that the fight
against scarlet fever is just beginning.
Now that scarlet fever is eradicated
we want to keep Kenosha clear Of this
disease. We want the people to recog-
nize the necessity of cooperating with
the board of health. We have had
this cooperation in the past sixteen
months and we feel that the people will
realize the real need of it in the fut-
ure. The fight against scarlet fever
has enlisted the best efforts of every
person connected with the board of
health. I want to especially call at
tention to the work Of Mrs. Stickel.
She has been very active in seeKlng
out unrepo- ed cases and in watching
the schools. Without her aid the work
of the department. would have been
very badly handicapped. The members
Of the board Of health have shown
willingness to meet every suggestion
and the moral support that has been
given the battle against scarlet fever
has meant everything. We believe that
lesson of great value has been taught
the people. Now better thaa ever be-
fore people in Kenosha realize the
value Of maintaining quarantines. In
the future these people will know just
what quarantine means and just
what value it is to them. Of course
we anticipate that there will be other
cases of scarlet fever in Kenosha, but
we are hopeful that these cases will
be handled in such way as to pre-
vent the disease becoming epidemic. y
People in Kenosha have watched
with a real heart interest the work
Of the board of health in fighting the
scarlet fever epidemic and it is GER
tain that the fact that the last sign
has been removed will be greeted with
rejoicing in thousands of Kenosha
homes.
DR.. McShane is watching closely the
cases of typhoid fever in the city.
Only a few cases have been reported
since the chlorination of the water
was started and the commissioner and
his aids feel certain that this treat
ment of the water will be a great aid
in stamping out this disease.