The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-03-22
SCARLET FEVER
SCARE ABATING
LOCAL HEALTH OFFICERS APP
PARENTLY HAVE DISEASE
UNDER CONTROL
PEOPLE SHOULD COOPERATE
STATE AUTHORITIES INDORSE
WORK DONE HERE-STATE-
MENT BY DIR. BURNS,

The epidmeic of scarlet fever which
has been prevalent in the Sank Centre
schools is apparently under control,
thanks to the vigorous methods en-
ployed by the school board and the
health department.
DR.. Burns from the Minnesota State
Board of Health, spent Wednesday of
this week in Sank Centre. He visited
something over 20 homes in the city
and adjacent country and after care
full survey Of each case he pronounced
every case quarantined by the health
department as scarlet fever.
There seems to be a misunderstand-
ing on the part of a portion of the
public relative to the children sent
home from school. Every child exam
ined by the nurse is allowed to re-
main in school if their temperature
is under 100. The mere fact that they
have been sent home does not indicate
that they have scarlet fever, but are
kept under observation for from three
to five days. If scarlet fever symp-
toms do not develop in the meantime
they are allowed to come back to
school. During the week there have
been about 14O absentees in the public
schools.
So far all of the 40 or more cases
in this vicinity have been in a mi. i
form, but it is just as contagious an
just as apt to be followed by severe
attack as though the victim contract
ed the disease from a virulent case.
DIR. Burns mildly criticized Health
Officer Moynihan because he had not
been more vigorous in his quarantine
regulations. In, speaking of the con-
ditions to the Herald, DIR. Burns said:
ssScarlet feveris a disease prone 70
spread in schools unprotected by sup
ervision and examination of the school
children. scgI#e1
"Scarletl fever is, not always easily
found or diagnosed when found. 1t is
the very sick child who has all the
common symptoms of the disease. The
only one symptom recognized as al
waystpresent in all cases is some de-
gree Of sore throat. Mild cases, be-
cause of their freedom and many as
sociations among other children not
| infected help to continue and spread
the diseases in community. No case
of scarlet fever occurs which can re-
ally be called MILD until the child has
completely recovered"
The school board, realizing its re-
sponsibility, have secured the services
of a competent nurse recommended by
the State Board of Health. The nurse
and the school are doing everything
in their power to find and isolate IN
| fected children. The control of the
disease must depend upon the work
done in the school. There are three
! factors which enter into the rapid and
successful prevention of spreading OF
the disease:
81. The cooperation and assist
ance of the local physicians.
"2. Thorough supervision Of all
school children by the school nurse.
"3. Scarlet fever is always threat
ening to be family calamity, and
every family who have children in the
Sank Centre schools should help in
every possible way to assist the ply
sicians, the health officers and the
school board.
a. If the people of this community
will realize that while they do not
bring illness upon themselves, they
often do continue illness for much
longer period than is necessary be-
cause of Indifference. If they once re-
alize the necessity of cooperation
among themselves it will greatly aid
the physicians and school authorities
and the health of the community will
be rapidly returned to its normal con-
| dition."