Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-06-05

said that he had examined - cases
and that he did not believe that they
were scarlet fever. He said that those
who were i'll had bsen taken with a
sore throat, followed by rise IN tenn
peraturc and little rash which dis
appeared N Is hours leaving no un-
pleasant consequence. He said that
in his practice he haG never encount-
cred anything similar t othe disease.
DR.. Klipstein said that he had sew
eral cases Of genuine scarlet fever
but that he did not think it was nee
essary to close the schools.
DR.. Moore was opposed to closing
the schools and Thought the cases
very light.
| Drs. Mcclure, Delaney and Pow
ell were strongly of the opinion that
the health committee had taken the
right action and that the cases of
the disease which they had examined
were scarlet fever cases.
After the discussion by the doctors
the committee decided 70 adhere to
their former action but refused to
close the churches as had been sug-
vested ty DR.. German who wanted
everything closed if the schools we're
to close.
! The action OF the committee was
rot put in writing nor were any for
NAL notice given to any one as re-
CURED by IT," state law when there
are eridemics. There is serious
lqucstion as to the authority Of the
he alth committee to take the action
th:t they did. They are given power
fby the state law to make reasonable
rules and regulations to prevent the
spread of disease provided these re-
eulations are printed and posted 70
accordance with the law.
Their action in having the police
department close up the rncving pic
ture theatres was without warrant
Of law as the mayor is the only per-
son who can issue orders to the police
department and Mayor Fisher denied
that he had been consulted had given
any clters to the police.
As the facts of the closing spread
lover Alexandria today and the peo-
ple cyan to realize what unneccs-
sarily severe measure had been taken
the health committee camo in for all
kinds of censure and they mad but
few supporters. Several other doc
tors expressed themselves of the op-
inion that the health committee was
wrong. DR.. Warfield physician to the
rCoy could sec no reason for the dras-
tic action and DR.. Jones said that the
cases he had seen were very mild and
that there was no reason for alarm.
Mayor Fisher started little in
vestigation of his own to find out the
authority of the health board for their
action and he will probably be heard
from tomorrow.
The Retail Merchants Association
will hold a special meeting tonight at
3 o'clock to consider the situation
which President Schwarzmann termed
as Outrageous
Th management of the Richmond
and Surprise theatres issued an ap-
peal today to the health committee
which is published in full in another
column. If this appeal does not have
the desired effect the management
of the threatres will probably take
legal action tomorrow that they may
reopen their doors.
I Bad results of the scare are heard
on all sides. A number of employees
of Washington department stores
residing in Alexandria were sent
home this morning when they went
to work because Of the publicity Civ
en- the epidemic; the Washington
Knights Templar w:lo had expected
to come to Alexandria yesterday tc
attend the Ascension Day service:
1 of Old Dominion Commandery gave
up their trip and published an ad
vertisement in the Washington Posi-
that the trip had been called of be-
cause of the Scarlet fever epidem
ic"; plans of the schools for gradual
ing exercises have been halted ant
the dresses and finery for the "sweet
girl graduate" remain unpurchaset
on the merchants shelves.
i And the worse of it unless the ac
ton of the moving picture theatre!
are successful there is no prospect
of a termination of the scare for sew
; eral weeks. DR.. German said toda!
that it might be necessary to keel
, the schools and theatres closed TO:
A..,.