The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-24
TAB ON DISEASES
Census of Sickness Is to Be
Taken by City Schools.
Do Away With Unnecessary
Quarantine Measures.

A census of diseases in the city
schools is to be taken. A record is to
be made of just what diseases ca oh
child in the schools has had With
this record a guide many unneceS-
sary quarantine measures can be elm
mated.
For example, said Dr. Harold
B. Wood, city health officer. IF the
records show that most children IN
school room have had disease the
nature of which is for it not to recur
'susceptibles' or pupils who can nave
the disease, have been exposed, y -
needless to keep these few susceptlple
persons away from the other school
children in the room, for the otnerS
having had the disease, will not nave
it again, and those who nave peen
exposed can continue going 10 scHool'
whereas under the old system WITHOUT
a disease census, they Will De KEEP
at home a fixed period whether they
were well or ILL.,
1t Is New Thing.
The school census of diseases IS
compare lively new thing. Inc LlIsl
was taken only four years ago. Inree
census of this kind Two years ago
he conducted such . census among
the city schools of Chicago:
The Topeka board of health met
Yesterday to consider the advanced
methods of controlling disease now
being instituted in Topeka. WltLlout
exception, the activities ana nleliloelS
of the health officer were endorsed
New rules were adopted to repeal or
amend former regulations, as folioWs'
Distinction Regulations.
Disinfection after measles ana
chickenpox was ordered uScoh'tlu91u
repeating a board of health regulare
ton of NAV 81, 1913. Distinction or
rooms occupied by cases of diphtherla'
scarlet fever, smallpox and tubercu-
Iosis shall be continued, being re
uuired by state law. Dlslnteclon
after mumps whooping cough ana
German measles will not be done.
Children released from quarantine
may be admitted to school as soon as |
the quarantine has been raised Feo-
ple shall be released from quarantine
only upon orders from the health OF,
ficer. and shall be admitted to school
by an official written permit
Diseases for Excuses.
In order of maintaining a more eff
ficient control over contagious DIS
eases in school, the board of health
ordered that any child known or be-
lieved to have any of the following
disea ses shall he Immediately excluded
from school: Diphtheria, chicken
pox measles, mumps, German mea-
whooping cough. The name, address,
schoo: and grade of the child, togeth-
er with the name of the suspected dis
ease. shall at once be telephoned to
he health officer. The healfh oIIlcer
-hereupon will investigate the disease
n the chiId's home, with its source
md contacts. Children who have had
;ca rlet fever, diphtheria, chickenPoX
md smallpox shall be admitted to
chooI only upon orders from the
lealtfS@ officer Children who ~havezp
lad German measles may be readmlt-
ed to school after an absence CT sew
N days; those with mumPs, one week
lfter the total disappearance of all
welling: with whocping cough, after
period of isolation of three weeks.
Must Watch Children.
Since diseases cannot be effect
vely kept out of schools only by iSO-
ating children who are actually sick
With the various diseases, children :
Who are susceptible and become eX- r
,osed to a cOnta gious disease must \
necessarily be controlled where they II
an be effectively watched and where !
hey can be the least danger to others.
he reason for this is that these dis Il
asses are most infectious at the very /
eginning of symptoms, even often be-
ore any definite diagnosis can be