The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-17
Closing Schools in Epidemics
[Dr. W. E. Evans, In the Chicago Tribune.l
ter use of our schools to prevent the
spread of contagion than we do.

ter use OF our SCHOOLS 10 prevent tue
spread of contagion than we do.
g. It is easier to control contagion
where the children come together ev-
cry day and are looked over by the
teacher and a nurse or physician.
8. The controlled contacts Of the
contagion than the uncontrolled con-
tagion contacts OF the street and
parks.
A. Following up absences from
school Is good method of locating
cases of unreported contagion.
5. Closing the schools is expensive
in that the expense of maintenance
goes on and no educational benefit ac-
srues.
6. Closing the school disarranges
the course of instruction and makes
it impossible to properly cover neces-
sary subjects.
7. 1t is negatively bad in that it
loses an opportunity to teach right
methods. On the general subject Ro-
senau says: 1.-THE question of closing
the schools when some of the diseases
breaks out is often a difficult one to
decide. If the children commingle out
of school, upon the streets and play
grounds, no useful purpose is accom-
plished by closing the schools. Hence
closing schools is usually more effect
i've in country districts than in cities.
Closing schools is economically waste
full and usually had no influence on
the course of an outbreak. Children
are less apt to infect each other in the
schoolroom than in the house or on
the playground. AS rule better re-
suits will be achieved by daily in
spection of all school children. than
by closing the schools"
This, I think, represents well the
opinion of health authorities On the
subject. l suggest that school boards
right now formally adopt and promul-
gate the following general policy:
l. The schools will not be closed il
an epidemic appears
2. Every school teacher shall make
a census of the contagion history OF
each child under their charge. This
census is TO be made by giving each
school child a card with the names OF
the contagious disease printed there
on. This card is to be taken home, and
the parent is to check off each disease
that the child has had. The card is
then to be returned to the teacher and
kept thereafter in the schoolroom.
When the contagion appears in the
school or neighborhood each teacher
is to sort out the cards Of the children
that have not had that disease. These
children are to be kept under special
observation in the schoolroom. When
a child passes from one grade to an
other his contagion card passes with
hi i'm dnI hot fyxr0
cards for any one child shall be re-
tanned in any room on file.
8. In case contagion threatens a
schoolroom sufficiently to warrant dis
cussion of closing the school, a
school nurse. and in suitable cases
school physician, should be employed
until such time as the danger has
passed.
A. The school teachers, school
nurse, and school physician, or such
of them as shall be necessary, shall
specifically inspect the entire stu
dent body at the opening OF school
each morning and shall later examine
closely for contagion such students as
it seems best to examine. All absen-
tees shall be investigated at their
homes.
5. For the purposes of carrying out
this policy sufficient money shall be
made available.
SMALLPOX-If smallpox appears
in a community the school children
should be successfully vaccinated
without delay The school should be
kept open. The teacher should watch
unvaccinated children for fever; head
ache, and backache. Absentees should
be investigated. The incubation period
is twelve to fourteen days.
DIPHTHERIA-The schools should
never be closed to control diphtheria-
When an epidemic appears the cards
for children should be sorted out.
Those that are susceptible should be
watched closely for sore throat.
physician or nurse should examine all
pupils complaining of sore throat. Sus-
picious cases should be cultured. If
more than two or three cases of diph-
iberia develop in schoolroom, the
throats of the entire student body
/ should be cultured. The incubation
period of diphtheria Is two to four
days. Children who have been out OF
school on account of sore throat
should not be allowed to return until
cultures show diphtheria bacilli not
present.
SCARLET FEVERvWhen scarlet
fever appears in a schoolroom list
should be made of the children who
have not had scarlet fever These
should be watched closely for sore
throat Any child with sore throat
should be excluded from school until
the case is proven not to be scarlet
fever. Should more than two or three
cases of scarlet fever develop in the
student body. every child in the room
under suspicion should be examined
for scaling, sore throat, and enlarged
glands. The incubation period of scar
let fever is one to six days. A case
of scarlet fever is infectious for four
weeks at least.
MEASLES may be some
question as to the advisabiIity of clos
ing school in order to control mea-
O.