The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-30
FEARS ADVANCE Of
PLAGUE TO SOUTH
New York Epidemic Not Regarded AS
Menacing To Virginia As states
Nearer Home.
MANY CHILDREN COMING
BACK FROM INFECTED AREA
State Health Commissioner Makes
Interesting Statement AZ to Situa-
acknowledgements More 1hah
Justify Steps Taken.

With the railroads cooperating ac-
lively in the enforcement of virginia
quarantine against children from New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
the State Board OF Health Is watching
with concern the southwark progress
of the infantile paralysis epidemic In
this, the board thinks. lies virginia s
chief dangers nor is the board inclined
to regard the decrease of the epidemic
in New York as guaranteeing that
States to the south of New YORK VIII
escape.
The general situation" said Health
Commissioner williams today. "resem-
bles that In which a hre is spreading
from the sparks Of the original con-
fagration. AS long as the fire was
confined to New York at season
when there were comparatively few
children passing between this State
and New York. we of course viewed It
with profound sympathy, but without
grave apprehension. 1t was reasonable
to suppose that the Are would burn
itself out-pathetic though it's con-
sequences we're
In recent weeks. as the outbreak
has begun to decline in New York. IL
has spread north and south. just as the
sparks are carried from "A ire. These
sparks in turn. have started new
Ares OF eptdemics, some Of which are
close to Virginia 1T is these We are
Watching and IT is from these that We
expect trouble, if any comes. The
FIRE Is getting close to our block and
II Is time TO take precautions that were
relatively unnecessary as long as the
FIRE was confined TO New York city.
Another factor in the situation
which makes this the most important
time for precautions Is that Virginia
children who have been summering in
the North are beginning to return
home. We had no statistics as to the
number OF these children when we de-
clared quarantine. but we can sac from
the requests and appeals made to the
board during the last few days that
the number Is large. The schools are
soon TO open. the vacation period Is
at an end. For one child that came
south during the FIRST weeks In Au~
gust there win probably be ten who
come during tho frkt weeks In Sep
ttmber. AS some OF these have doubt
less been exposed to the disease. the
state must be protected against them,
This is peculiarly the time for doing
In addition, We must reckon on the
large number OF children Who come TO
Virginia 10 attend schools knowing
nothing of the movements Of these
chllareu during the summer, IL is not
fair 10 subject other children and the
mans private schools Of virginia to
tn dangers Of iufantiIe paralysis
which are especially great where large
numbers OF children enuEreRate
There are some things about in
fautle paralysis that health officers
do no, understand But merely be
cause We do not know all about the
disease = no reason wis we should
not apply the knowle dee we have. L;
was on this view that our quarantine
vas declared and Il IL on this basis
that II IN more than Justified. We may
not he able TO keep out every single
Individual who tried TO get into Wiz
ginia IN deAsnc, Of quarantine, but We
shall certainly keep out all we can
We do not abolish our police forces
merely because we dc not catch every
iawhreaker, neither ought we do away
with precautions merely because they
may not suffice in every instance"