The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-02-26
Letter to DIR. Davis Says That
He Has Been Conform
ing to Law.
DEMAND CERTIFICATE
Before Children Can Be Adj
mitted to School Follow
ing Quarantine.

Davis, city health officer from j. n.
Hurry, secretary Of the State Board
Of Health coincide with the fnterpre-
tation of the state law for guarantees
under which DIR. Davis has been gov
erning the length of guarantees in
this city. There will be no change in
DR.. Davis methods in handling these
cases hereafter as the health officer
has been complying with rules of the
State Board of Health, he says
The communication also defines the
practical use of the word "epidemic.'
An epidemic, states DR., Hurry in the
letter, is defined by the State Board
Of Health as consisting of ten cases
of any infectious disease for every
thousand of population. For an cpl
demic in this city, there would have
to be at least $50 cases Of an infectious
disease, according to the State Board
of Health.
There are now ten cases of scarlet
fever in Richmond, DR.. Davis stated
today Four of these have recovered
and the patients will soon be released
from quarantine.
Hereafter 1t is desired, that when
children are sent home from school
by the school examiners, they be not
readmitted until a certificate is pre-
scented the teacher from the school ex-
aminer demanding it," stated DR..
Davis "Other cases of scarlet fever
which have been under quarantine
will receive as heretofore, a certifi-
cate Of admission from the health Of
ficer.
From last May until the present
date, an examination discloses the rec
ord that of two deaths directly due to
scarlet fever and four deaths where
scarlet fever was reported as a con-
tributary cause. There has been no
diphtheria for several months, but
should it appear, no case
will be released unless report from
the archaeological laboratory demon
strates a safe release from quaran-
tine
Letter From Hurry.
DR.. T. Henry Davis,
Richmond, Indiana.
Dear Doctor Davis:
Your letter of the goth and also of
the 22nd received. AS told you by tele-
phone Saturday, 22nd was a holiday
and We had no stenographers and l
could not make reply until now.
The question--What is an epidemic
has been discussed good deal. The
American Public Health association at
one time passed a resolution that ten
cases of any Infectious disease in a
population of one thousand would, for
the practical purposes of the associa-
ton be termed an epidemic. According
to this in order to have an epidemic
in Richmond, you would ha-e to have
at least two hundred and fifty cases of
any Infectious disease.
Concerning guarantees; the quaran.
tine law itself says:
The health officer shall immediate
ly. in person or by deputy, quarantine
the infected house, rooms or premises.
SO as effectually to isolate the case or
cases and the family if necessary, in
such manner and for such time as may
be necessary to prevent transmission
of the disease"
Rule Four of the State Board of
Health requires for scarlet fever:
For the patient and children in the
family with the patient, quarantine for
not less than 81 days after the begin
ming of the disease. Exclusion of the
patient and children associated with
the patient, from school for ten days
after the removal of the quarantine"
Accept Doctors Statement.
The rules Of the State Board of
Health also state that:
Health officers must not come be-
tween the physicians and the patients.
The attending physicians diagnosis
must be accepted unless there are ex-
there is an attempt to smuggle or to
hide some quarantinable disease or
unless the diagnosis is flagrantly
wrong. as for instance, tonsilitis dag
nosed for diphtheria
The instructions from this board. |
therefore, would be for all health Off |
GERS to accept the diagnosis of the at
tending physician unless there are
strong reasons for believing that some |
deception is being praeticed, which |
would work i'll against the public.
hC hSoAth oLliSSIS uiuSl eStaDlfSn
quarantine in such manner and for
such length of time as in his Judgment |
is necessary to prevent the spread of |
infection. and If a period of time is |
determined on by the health officer. |
that period of time shall be the same !
as is laid down in the rules of the |
State Board of Health for each of the !
infectious diseases |
II the physician attending a case Of |
infectious disease certifies either |
orally or in writing, to the health Off |
Ger that the case is we'll and that |
there is no danger of transmission of |
infection from the patient. then the |
health officer (unless there is abund- /
ant reason for suspecting wrong) |
should raise the quarantine and this |
despite the rule of the State Board of |
Health, which fixes q days as the per- |
Tod for scarlet fever quarantine, the |
said period being fixed by the board. |
provided the local health officer wish |
es to adopt 1t.
note that scarlet fever Is very |
mild all over the state, and I am very |
glad of it. However. it might become |