Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-05
D|PHTHER|A IN
ALAMEDA CAUSE
OF GRAVE ALARM
Thirty-two Cases and Twelve.
Deaths in Last Eight Weeks
Little Attention Paid toI
Health Regulations

The prevalence Of an epidemic ot
dipGlheris a. tlhuedL. eight .nilcs
Hrrin 81 Albuquerque. and he fact
tina. little attention is being pad 10
tn, health regulations by the citizens
of ihat community b causing genuine
ahriu among the physicians II this
city and the people generally who are
familiar with the situation. The dam
ser that the epidemic viii spread 20
Albuquerque is recognized as immi-
nept, and the county commissioners
are being urged to take immediate
steps TO check the course Of the dis
case.
According to wcl authenticated
reports in the last eight weeks there
have been thirty-two cases OF diph-
iberia in Alameda and the immediate
vicinity, confined almost exclusively
20 school children. or this number
there have been twelve deaths, or
more than one IN three of those IN
fccted with the disease Ii Is said
that there are now five cases in the
town.
Health Laws Ignored.
The serious feature Of the situation
Is that the people most vitality affect
ed--the parents and relatives OF the
yictims---haNe little regard for the
health regulations and ignore the
laws that are designed to prevent the
spread Of the epidemic A quaran-
tine may be established. but no IT.
tention is paid to H. After the death
Of n child from diphihcr!a a public
church funeral Is held, attended BY
practically the entire community. 4
sort Of ia.Nlism seems to have taken
hold Of the people, aud they argue
to themselves that if another child is
To die it IL the Will OF Cod and there
is no need 10 .nterpose the will OF
RAN against II.
The parents Of many OF these chill
dren make almost daily visits To AL
buqucrquc Some OF them sell veget-
ablcs and produce from house to
house. The opportunities that they
have spread diphtheria In this city
are almost unlimited.
Help Is Needed.
Or. w. W. Spargo, county physi-
clan. when interviewed in regard %
the matter last night, was inclined to
minimize the danger 10 Albuquerque
people from the epidemic in Alameda.
He admitted that there had been
quite a number of cases, and that
there had been eisht or ten Deaths
the exact number he was not prepar-
ed TO say--but he seemed to think
that reports Of the seriousness OF the
epidemic had been exaggerated
DR.. Spargo explained that II was
impossible for him TO keep accurate
tab al all times on what Is going on in
every part Of the county. Whenever a
report came to him of case of con
tagious or infectious disease he said,
he always responded promptly and
took the measures necessary to pre-
vent tho disease from spreading.
When death from diphtheria was
reported To him, he said, he would
personally gee 20 the fumigation of
the house where il took place. Quar-
Fantinc Is always esta blished when
such 4 case is reported. but there is
no means to see that the quarantine
il enforced Unless deputy health Of
ficers are stationed in the commune
ties where the epidemic is raging,
said Or Spargo. il IL impossible to be
sure that health regulations are OBJ
served.
1t Is probable that the board of
county commissioners will be asked
to authorize the appointment of such
deputies al once and that the depu-
ties SO appointed be clothed with full
power 10 enforce the provisions of the
law relating to contagious and infec-
tious diseases. Unless this is done.
said leading Albuquerque physician
ycstesday. an outbreak OF diphtheria
In this city is likely TO occur at any
time.