The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-10-29
QUARANTINE IS
NOT NECESSARY
State BactsrloIogist Sayslt Does
More Harm Than Good

Lansing, Mich. Oct e9.--"Fumiea-
ton and quarantine will be regarded
as relics OF "A barbarous e during the
present generation" declared II. NJ. L.
Holm state bactcrologist today. Pest
houses viii be considered as outrages
On the public.
Quarantine does more harm than
good and IL will be 50 considered when
the public becomes educated to the alb
solutc valurness OF such practice.
Quarantine increases the number of
deaths from contagious diseases, and
not only places hardships on families
but increases tho expenses Of many
counties and therefore boosts the taxcs
Of the citizens.
I'm my laboratory there are small
poN, scarlet foyer diphtheria and
many other germs Why not quarsu-
tine the laboratory Tie germs are
free 10 nv about and spread disease
If such a thing were possible. And
simply because science knows tpot
such thing is impossible the laboiu-
tory is not quarantInod. and houses m
which there are cases Of diphtheria.
smallpox etc, should not be Quarar-
tined. If precautions are taken thor,
Is no reason why the members Of the
family in which there is a contagious
disease should not be allowed to go on
with their work outside and in this
manner continue to be producers in
stead OF perhaps becoming indigenl and
dependent upon charity OF the county
for the necessities Of lie.
II would be cheaper if every c.ty
would employ nurses TO care for and
superintcnd contagious disease cases.
In this manner precautions could be
taken and quarantine would not be nee
ossary, Contact is the only manner in
which q person Tray become infested
with these contagious diseases 8uG
With a competent person to superin-
tend matters in the sick ROOM there
Is no reason Why the other members
OF tho family should not be free TO
leave and enter the house I'm which The
person IL confined.
poes Not Decrease Deaths.
That quarantine does not decrease
the number Of deaths / know 10 be- a
tact from the many cases have
investigated. I'm one ease physician
was called 10 a house TO attend giri
who was III with sore throat" The
case WAS diagnosed as diphtheria. aud
the house was puarantincd. Anti.toXin
was administered and IN few days
the child was well. The mother did not
believe her child Vas suffering from
uiphtheria, becoua" silu was scarcely
ILL., the disease having been stopped in
its incipicn, stage. few days later
another child in the family became III
and . doctor was not called until FIVE
days later, because the mother did not
want 70 be Quarantined. When the ply
stefan was called severe case Of
diphtheria had developed and, although
ant!-toXin vas given, the child died
two hours later. That child could have
beer saved If a doctor had been called
the first day.
Il have statistics from 100000 cases
in my Office complied i'm London and
New York, showing that when onti-
toxin - given the first day the dig
ease develops, the mortality is one
half OF ono per cent. on the second
day the death rate Increases to- three
per cent II anti-toxin is given the
third day tie death rate is seven out
Of 100 cases. The fourth day the per
cent Is IL and on the fifth day 80.
These figures show that quick action
is necessary and that T. Is easier to
stamp out the disease in its incipient
stages 3"