The Detroit times., 1917-03-15
CAN'T STOP
SPREAD OF
EPIDEMIC
Health Boards Efforts
to Keep Scarlet Fever
Down Are Vain
1,100 CASES
NOW IN CITY
DIR. Inches Still Seek
ing Additional Hos
pital Quarters


Detroit pOw has Lena casss Of
searist fswer. ne largest number
in any city On the eontinsat and
the total is growing ~ IN siAxminx
rate. Actually tAs number 10 over
l.ioc. IN the opinion of Or. J. w.
Inches. city health ofscer The ns-
ure 1.ers 10 based on reports re-
cefved up until Tuesday midnight
only. The disease 10 OF the most
malignant &ype. according to Or.
Inches.
Dr. Inches received q report from
Buffalo Thursday showing that
scarlet fever In that city had caus-
ed iust one death this year Dur.
ing the same period there were AZ
deaths In Detroit In Buffalo. On
March 10, there were IS cases Of the
disease. On that date DETROIT had
$50.
DR.. Inches says the comparison
between Detroit and Buffalo Ia inter
esting because the climate NJ both II
alike. the population 10 of about the
esme general character and rhe
housing conditions are quite similar.
both being crowded. Detroit Is
larger. but not materially SO. The
cities might almost be called twins
80 far az conditions that would zf-
feet an epidemic are concerned.
Under these circumstances Buff
falo's splenlid showing makes the
mystery II Detroit's sinister threat
the more pushing. AS ye; no expert
has been aols 10 say definitely what
h causing the contagion here. All
Of the PEI theories have been dis
proved
Detroit now has more than 120
cases OF scarlet fever for each IO0.-
0V0 Of population. a percentage sci
Gorn reached In any community and
never before approached In Detroit
There have been | 600 cases since
Jan. and there have been az
deaths Dr. Inches draws attention
20 the fact that the deaths alone 40
not sum up the damage done by an
epidemic Of this kind, as the dissaBe
cften leaves q patient detective and
blighted for life.
As compared with Detroit's 100
cases per 100000. Chicago has only
so; Boston, II: New York. IL: Pits
eurgh. S, and Cleveland s.
That the present epidemic Ia not
entirely due 10 CROW ded housing con
ditions. acc 1riing TO nr. Inches. Is
indicated by the fact that the dis
ease is more prevalent nov in the
homes Of che well.to-do than IN the
extremely poor homes Another pc
culiarity OF the disease this year IL
that II is not confined 10 children
clone. but that 40 per cent OF the pa.
tents are adults
Dr. Inches held n conference With
members OF the board 81 health and
Mayor Marx Wednesday Afternoon,
Il - NAAu Na NNENAANNu the
and warned the of1ciaJs that unlesS
fomething could be done 20 check
the epidemic no one could eTy5, &C
the extent 10 which II Was likely 10
tpresd in the next seven weeks.
Plans 20 enlarge the capacity %
Herman Kiefer hospital were dis
cussed. II was decided TO erect
three additional tuberculosis shachs
In the rear % the hospital 40 that
patients could be transferred froui
the main building. leaving room Tot
scarlet fever patients.
GustAvus D. Pope. tho new NON.
Ter OF the board. and Dr. Inches
we're namei committee 70 find a
tUilding in which a temporary hos
pital may be established. A factory
building On John R-st., near Ade-
iaide. IL being considered. The third
floor In largely OF glass. which
makes n desirable, az light is nece+
sary for the cure Of the disoase.
However severe The scarlet teve-
Epidemic becomes the schools OF IN,
city will not be closed. Health ON
Ger Inches said Thursday mornlns
that he would not ask 10 have the
schools closed because ha heIlsvat