Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-03
HEALTH EXPERT HERE

Dr.. M. F. Boyd, of State Board. Comes
to Investigate Diphtheria.
DR.. M. F. Boyd, epidemioligist of the
state board Of health, arrived in the
city shortly before noon today to inves-
tigate the health situation here, espec-
tally with regard to the spreading of
diphtheria. DR.. Boyd, with the assist
ance of City Physician E. P. Lierle. will
examine school children in the hope of
finding the source of the contagion.
Small attendance In the lower grades
of all the schools in the. city indicate
much sickness In the city among chill
dren, .altho Superintendent Palmer said
this morning that he believed caution
on the part of parents was responsible
for more of the absences than was ac-
tual sickness.
Principals Of all the schools who were
asked to report on the attendance for
the first day, all stated that in the
lower grades there was a marked diff
ference in the attendance. This was
also said to be due to report that was
circulated Sunday that the schools
would not reopen'today. This was err
roneous. however. About one-third of
the primary pupils were estimated to
be absent. There was no falling off in
the attendance In the high school, and
the attendance of upper grades was
about normal
An effort to secure from the records
Of the board of health some idea of the
exact number of guarantees in the city
proved very unsatisfactory of results.
The quarantine record Is kept in a very
slip-shod manner, and it is hard to get
a very accurate idea of just what the
situation is at the present time.
The record book shows that fifty
guarantees for diphtheria, eight for
scarlet fever, and two for smallpox
have been placed since Sept. 1. Today,
according to the records, there were
twenty-one quarantine cards up for
diphtheria, four for scarlet fever, and
one for smallpox,
Whether there are more cases OF
diphtheria than the record indicates
by the cards. or whether some of the
guarantees have been lifted, no one
knows. Chief Breckel says that ply
sicians have, in many instances, taken
off quarantine cards themselves with
out informing the health authorities.
or have told the heads Of quarantined
homes to take off the cards following
recovery, and yet made no report to
the board Of health showing that the
guarantees were lifted. They may be
fewer than twenty-one cases In the
city at the present time, and again
there may be cases Of which there Is
no record showing on the quarantine
books.
Rumors circulated Sunday were to
tho effect that City Physician Lierle
had recommended to the board OF
health that the schools be closed. DR..
Lierle said, however, that he had made
no such recommendation, and that at
the present time he hardly thought the
situation justified it. st. Mary's Insti-
tute was thoroughly fumigated Sun
day night, as two pupils Of this school
died of diphtherta during the holiday
vacation. The public school buildings
have been cleaned, and the woodwork
washed, during the vacation period.
Superintendent Palmer, of the pub
lie schools, think that 1t Is foolish to
talk Of closing the schools unless strict
quarantine measures are taken in
other directions. TT will do no good
to close the schools and allow churches,
Sunday schools, moving picture shows,
and other places OF public gathering
and amusement run wide open." the
superintendent said. "As it is now be-
lieve child is safer in school than out,
Tor In school he - under supervision,
and all teachers are watchful for
symptoms Of any throat trouble. If
there is any Indication Of trouble the
pupil Is sent home.
DR.. Lierle also said that there was
no need OF closing the schools II other
places where children might congre-
gate were permitted to be open.