The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-02-24
A RAK|NG IS
GIVEN DAVIS
IN A LETTER
Committee of w. r. |. A.
Says Scarlet Fever Epi-
demic Due to Incompet-
ency or Criminal Neglect.
Continued from Page One.)

CONTINUED from Page One)
from infected premises and require
them to exclude such children.
None of these points have been OBJ
served in the present epidemic.
Has the Health Officer of a city any
legal right to disregard the rules OF
the State Board of Health as outlined
abovcP If SO, on what rule OF law is
such right based?
In the face of the steady increase
in scarlet fever cases shown above
can there be any defense Of your dis
regarding these rules of the State
Board?
May the public expect prompt and
efficient action in the present menac-
ing conditions?
Will you, as Health officer of the
city, ft arlessly, impartially, and consci-
entiously conform to the rules as laid
down by the State Board of Health?
n. c. Heironimus
Richard Sedgwick
Frank l.. Waidele
Harlow Lindley
West Richmond Improvement Ascn
Health Officer Davis answered the
who have been making an investiga-
ton of the alleged scarlet fever cpl
demic in this city by sending to the
board of works letter.
The report of two cases came in yes
terday afternoon to DR.. Davis. He i'm
mediately made an investigation and
found that both cases were in the
same family and had come from a
light case next door. The houses are
at 426 and 42S Lincoln street. The
places were Immediately quarantined
DR.. Davis sent the report to the
board in order to show how the
disease without the knowledge of the
physicians or health officer that such
a case exists. He stated that it is a
duplication of dozens Of similar in
stances in the city where even the
persons VINO have the disease are not
aware of the fact and spread the
germs unintentionally among their
friends and neighbors..
Report on Two Cases.
The report which DR.. Davis submit
ted to the board was as follows
History of cases at 426 and 42S
Lincoln street: Child at 42S had sore
throat but was not very sick. No
doctor was called. The mother at 426
Lincoln street asked that she might
leave her two children at i2S while
she went on an errand. Although in
formed of the conditions but not think
ing of scarlet fever, she left her chill
dren for an hour or two. In due time
scarlet fever appeared at 426. First
child at 42S recovered. There was no
quarantine, no card, no disinfection
Today the second child has it at 42S.
So today 426 and 42S Lincoln street
are in quarantine, too late. This is a
history of cases which occur all over
town. 1t makes arbitrary quarantine
hardship in some cases and of little
avail, while others are free to roam -
The members of the board are OF
the same opinion as DR.. Davis on the
matter They stated this morning that
the history which the health officer
submitted can be applied to many
other cases. This. they believe, would
place the blame on the parents, who
do not summon a doctor when the
child has mild symptoms of the dis
ease. No blame is placed on Officer
Davis.
Members Of the board also said that
the charges that the quarantine laws
are not obeyed are unjust. One mem
Der of the board stated that he be
lieved that when a case is over an(
the patient we'll the quarantine should
be removed although the patient hat
not been in quarantine for the full 2,
days.