The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-09-08
Recommended By Dr.. H. M.
Braeken, State B. Of n.
QUIET ZONE, HOSPITALS
Considerable Discussion Arose
At the Session of Commits
sioners Today
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily.
Whether the public and parochial
schools of the city, like the normal
model schools, should be closed for
several weeks to prevent the spread
of infantile paralysis, was the sub
ject of lively debate at this morn
ing's session of the MankatO city
council There are no cases OF in
fantile paralysis in Mankato.
John C. Wise of the state normal
board called the attention of the
council to the order that the state
health board had made that the mod
ell schools of the various normal
schools of the state be closed I'M
til the first of October on account
of the danger of infantile paralysis.
Mr.. Wise also said that DR.. A. F..
Schiuitt, local health officer, had
had a telephone conversation with
DR.. H. NJ Bracken, secretary OF the
state health board, in which DR..
Bracken recommended that the pub
lie schools be kept closed during the
same period.
This was the main subject of a
report by DR.. Schmitt, but before
taking up the matter of infantile
paralysis. he spoke of other matters.
He remarked that there were no
cases of contagious diseases now I'M
der quarantine in the city. The last
case of scarlet fever was released
this morning There were no cases
of typhoid fever There were two
cases of tuberculosis, one on the
prairie road, just about at the city
limits, and the other on Hickory
street Both cases were isolated.
There was no infantile paralysis in
the city. There seemed from the
records to have been just one case
in the county, and that was the case
at Mapleton.
Too Much Noise.
Dr. Schmitt said there had been
great deal of complaint on the part
of the two hospitals, both the st. Jo-
seph's and the Emmanuel about noise
around those institutions. He thought
the board of health should take def
mite steps to create quiet zone.
Wrong handling of mufflers gave
great annoyance These were a
nuisance to the sick There were 100
to 120 patients in each of the two
institutions. 1t meant much to the
sick and their friends to have the
streets kept quiet. This would be
done by posting up signs with the
words, "Quiet zone" He recon-
mended that this zone be bounded
by Plum. Spring. Third and Sixth
streets. 1t would be no hardship on
the public and would be great ben
eft to the sick.
Mayor Lamm remarked that he
and the chief of police had been fig
uring on marking out quiet zone
around the hospitals.
Congratulated the Council.
DIR. Schmitt Il congratulated the
council and the street commissioner
in the way in which the streets had
been sprinkled and oiled. However
he wished to call particular atten-
ton to the necessity of oiling Lafay-
cite street from Front to Fourth par
ticularly in the vicinity of the Frank
lin school, There was much traffic
there and it would be well for the
school children to keep the dust
down He spoke also of the necessi-
ty of .oiling Second from Spring tt
Lafayette.
Councilman Humiston remarked
that he had just ordered the oilins
of Second street from Lafayette tt
Vine and Lafayette from Front tt
Fourth g.,
Dr. Schmitt spoke also of oilins
the last block on Pleasant street
but remarked that he had been in
formed that this could not well BIZ
done, until certain repairs had beer
completed.
DR.. Schmitt now remarked tina
the state board of health had CLOSED
the model schools in all of the norm.
al schools of the state. He frs
thought it was rather arbitrary to in
clude Mankato and Duluth, which
had been practically free from In.
fantile paralysis, but the teacher.
that came to the state norma
schools came from all parts of tn,
state. This would bring the teach
ers from all parts of the state in
to contact with the children of tn,
smOdel schools if the model schools
were open.
He said some children of the sam,
families as went to the mode
schools, also went to the public
schools, and there was like DANCE
of carrying the disease in the public
schools. So the secretary of tn
state board of health had advise,
that the public schools be likewis
closed. He advised that this rec
concentration be made by the loca
board of health, and that the schoo
board be advised to close the schools
for two or three weeks.
They Could Insist.
He said the health authoritie
could insist on the schools CLOSING
but did not care to go so far S,
they simply advised. This woul,
include also a recommendation tina
the parochial schools close. He .di,
not think any serious Inconvenience
would come from closing up tn,
schools for two weeks. j
F. J. Sperry, city superintendent