The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-11
DR.. ENN|0N WILLIAMS
DISCUSSES QUARANTINE
Describes What Steps state Board o.
Health Has Taken Relative To
infantilc Paralysis.
WORKING WITH L. s. AGENCIES
Surgeon General At New York Wired
On July rs That He Did Not Think
Local Guarantees Were Necessary.
Quotes State Law.

! DR. Ennion G.. Williams. State
Health Commissioner, has written the
editor OF The Richmond Nirginian the
following letter explanatory of the
measures taken by the state authori-
/ ties to safeguard the State against
/ infantile paralysis:
August 10, 1918.
Editor Of The Richmond Virginian.
Richmond Va,
/ Dear Sir:
/ knowing that your recent editorial
remarks regarding State quarantine
against infantile paralysis have been
/ prompted by genuine interest in the
prevention of this disease, and reali2-
! ing that you have long been among
THE staunch advocates OF public health
work in the State, ] take the liberty
of laying the facts before you, fully
land without reserve, for such use as
! you may make OF them.
| As soon as the situation became Sc
rious In New York, we placed in
I fantile paralysis on the list OF dts
eases which physicians have imme-
diately to report In order that pre-
ventive measures may be taken. NO
tce OF this was sent physicians with
! other information regarding the dis
ease. At the same time, we issued
statement (copy of which Is enclosed).
pointing out that Virginia prohibited,
under general law. the immigration
of persons infected with this or other
communicable disease. and that
( quarantine would be enforced on
persons who attempted to violate the
law.
The next day, July IA, we sent a
circular letter to the mayors Of all
the cities and towns OF the State,
/ pointing out the dangers of the dis
ease and urging cooperation in
measures Shat would prevent its
1 spread This on the same day we
supplemented with a letter to the
health officers of the Commonwealth
requesting them to appear before the
local council and urge that our recon-
imendations be carried out We also
suggested that the business meA's as
tsociations and mothers clubs be en-
listed TO assist In preventive cleanup
work Copies Of these letters are en-
closed.
As the situation in New York grew
worse, we realized that emergency
measures might be necessary, and /
accordingly addressed the following
telegram to Surgeon General Blue:
July IS 1915
Surgeon General Blue.
L $. Public Health Service.
Washington, y. c.
Some Virginia communities con-
template quarantining against chill
drcn coming from New York Do
you recommend this? Whist steps is
the Government taking to prevent in
terstate transit of children from in
fected districts?
ENNION- 6. WILLIAMS
! To this the acting surgeon general
replied Immediately and as follows:
Washington, u. G., Iuly IS. 1916.
I DIR. Ennion G.. Williams,
| Richmond, Va. ~
J Public Health Service ia Installing
an inspection and notification system
at New York. Believe local quarantine
will be unnecessary.
KERR
Acting Surgeon-General.
' On the strength of this assurance
we felt that quarantine. beyond that
previously declared. would be unnec-
, essary, and thus far we have been able
, to act In cooperation with the Fed
eral authorities, Whenever a child
= from New York wants TO come to Vir-
Rinia, "A certificate is issued and the
local health officer OF the Virginia
- town to which the child Ia coming is
notified. Where the child has been
eHposed, in the knowledge Of health
. officers. the right to leave New York
is denied. We have, TO date. had but
three known cases of the arrival OF
children from infected areas In all
I OF these, the proper precautions were
| taken and the law carried out in re-
J gard to quarantine.
II YOU will examine the enclosed
copies Of the law tsee the marked
passages In the bulletin). you will
see that beyond what we have already
done, our powers are limited We
can deny child entrance into Viz
Z ginia II IL be '1nfected." but II the
- child has merely been exposed" we
have to rely on subsection 3. of sec
I ton ! 3 of the general law This pro-
vides a penalty for any person en-
tefing the State within n period Of
I fifteen days from such exposure"
And even then the law provides that
n physician's certificate is sufficient
I 70 permit the person to enter the
State
The real and only authority to
D prevent the interstate movement of
q such persons is in the hands Of the
Federal Government Their experts
= have considered this very carefully
and believe that the system Of notifi-
cation Will really accomplish the de-
sired object better than quarantine
regulations which would be enforced
at great cost If satisfactory at all
Aitosether, then. ! hope you will
realize that We are working In co.
/, operation with the Federal authori-
ties, and at their suggestion, and are
Trying TO do everything possible with
an the range OF our laws to protect
the state ] assure you that any sug-
eesuons you can give will be most
welcome and will receive Immediate
attention.
Very truly yours,
ENNION G.. WILLIAMS
? state Health Comm isso ner