The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-02-24
Committee of w. r. |. A.
Says Scarlet Fever Epi-
demic Due to Incompet-
ency or Criminal Neglect.
ALLEGE VIOLATION
OF BOARDS RULES
Communication Says There
Has Been Steady Increase
in Cases on West Side
Board Discusses Matter.

!, Averring that it is their belief that
conditions in West Richmond show
unmstakable evidence of incompetent
.cy or criminal neglect of duty on uhe
part Of health officials of the city, four
men composing the public service COM
mittee of the West Richmond Improve
ment association this morning seLt a
letter to DR.. T. Henry Davis, city
health officer. requesting that in,medi-
ate action be taken to suppress the
alleged increase of scarlet fever among
students in the west side schools
The communication charges that
none of the rules which the s'ate
board of health has prescribed r. re-
gard to scarlet fever epidemics have
been observed. The letter asks if the
health officer has any legal right to
disregard rules of the state health
board.
The committee declares that there
has been steady increase in the
number of cases of scarlet fever since
May of last year. 1t says that a total
of 215 cases have been reported since
May 1912 and of this number five
deaths have resulted.
At the meeting of the board of pub
lie works this morning DR.. Davis pre-
eented statement On one case Of the
disease in that part of the city. Mem
bers Of the board were inclined to up
hold The health officer.
Letter To Davis.
The letter to DR.. Davis sent by the
committee of the Improvement asso-
citation Is as follows:
DR.. T. Henry Davis,
City Health Officer.
Dear Sir:
At the last meeting of the West
Richmond Improvement Associations a
number of West Richmond ladies
came with the request that we j,in
with them to secure more efficient ac-
ton on the part of the city health de-
partment in handling the scarlet fe-
yer situation. The matter was referr-
ed to the public service committee,
with instructions to take such action
rs IN investigation of the situation
seemed to the committee to warrant
After due consideration this commit
tee feels warranted in addressing to
you this public communication and in
requesting, on the part of the associa-
tion, that you give an unequivocal re-
ply to the same.
Total Of 215 Cases.
We find that there has been a
steady increase in the number Of cases
of scarlet fever since May, 1912. The
number of cases reported for each
month runs as follows: May 5, June IL,
July Is, August 13, September 10, Oc-
tober 25, November A, December A,
January Al; total of 215 cases.
Five deaths have been reported as
directly due to this disease. 1t is i'm
possible to even estimate the injury
done patients who did not die.
We believe such conditions to be a
disgrace to any civilized community in
this enlightened age.
We further believe such conditions
to be unmistakable evidence of incom.
potency or criminal neglect of duty on
the part of health officials.
Rules of Board.
The State Board of Health has pre-
scribed that in cases of scarlet fever |
the following points shall be observed: !
(a) Quarantine for not less than |
twenty-one days.
CD Exclusion from school for ten |
days after removal of quarantine.
(c) Other children of the family to |
be excluded from school unless 6isin- !
fected, removed to another house. and |
isolated for at least ten days ,
(d) Health officer to notify persons in |
charge of schools attended by children |
Continued on PAGE Tvol