The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-01-04

ton period) he delivered to each of
the two families a weekly paper, and
that on that day the mail carrier had
coughed and sneezed several times,
and that the papers delivered had thus
become the carrier of the germs of
the disease to the two families, thus
we have another reason for the "house
guarantee" The individuals therein
together with their clothing and any
article leaving the infected homes
may be the source of spreading the
disease.
Individual and house guarantees
prove sufficient in most instances fol-
the prevention of the spread of an in
fictitious disease. Occasionally care
lessness, ignorance, wilful covering up
of the presence of the disease and
other violations of health laws causes
a disease to become so prevalent and
the disease germs so scattered, that
additional quarantine measures be-
come necessary.
Who has and who has not been ex-
posed in the disease cannot be de-
termined. 1t is recognized that a great
many persons may be in the incubat-
ing stage of the disease and are cap
able Of spreading disease germs. Ar
ticles of commerce become carriers of
the disease. When this condition
arises community quarantine becomes
necessary. This is put in force by
the health officers Immediately tax
ing steps to stop the going and COM
ing of all individuals; to request all
people to stay at home as far as pos
sible; to stop the unnecessary move
ment of articles from one place to
another. They prohibit all public
gatherings and close all non-essen-
tial industries, and restrict as far as
possible general business. 1t is i'm
possible to stop all commerce. 1t is
necessary that the people have the
necessities of life, irrespective of the
fact that there is a risk of the trans
mission and spread of the disease.
Community quarantine is difficult
to enforce. It can be made effective
only by unanimity of action on the
part of all. Ignorance, carelessness
and wilful violation on the part of a
few can jeopardize the interest of a
community. Selfishness on the part
of various interests that are restricted
is an inhibiting factor. Every pres
sure is placed upon the health Of
ficers to cause them to lift the ban.
Very frequently the pressure brought
to bear is sufficient to cause the
of the community quarantine
too early, and a recurrence of the d.
sease follows. archaeological and
good health technic requires the hold
ing of the community quarantine UNI
til such times as the number of in
fected homes becomes comparatively
few. The community quarantine is
then gradually litter, and strict house
quarantine maintained thereafter.
For a time in this city, the picture
shows and billiard halls were allowed
10 remain open, while the schools were
This condition was reversed
by the recent rulings, the schools
opened and the other places closed.
To those ignorant of the modes of
of disease, this would
inconsistent, some would saw
is conditions are such that It
makes it necessary for the closing of !
churches, picture shows, and billiard
lalls and other places, why would it
permit the opening of the schools =?
The recent actions of the school au-
horities of %forbidding the students,
Who broke the quarantine rules by at
ending dances and other gatherings,
o attend school indicates the answer
o that question.
The churches, billiard halls and pic
ure shows are public places to which
from all parts of the city and
rom out of town gather; they are
laced where there is a great risk of
oming in contact with a person hav-
ng the disease in the incubative stage
r the germ upon his clothing: they
places from which the disease
nay be brought into the schools. The
of these places by the health
is based upon good bacteriol-
gical and public health technic.
A great deal of stress has been laid
pom the matter of dancing by the
ealth officers and physicians in pre-
the spread of the influenza.
his is also based on a good bacteri- [
reason. The germs of the
l~fluenza are supposed to grow and ]
lultiply in the air passages and they
re thrown off from the person by
iolent breathing, sneezing and cough I,
lg. The position taken in dancing
rings the air passages of the two
in comparatively close
roximity and makes it easy for the
'ansmission. Of the bacteria that are
off in breathing from to +,
The danger of dancing was {
illustrated in a nearby town
here eighteen young people gather !
l for a home dance. Every one of the t
ghteen came down with the disease,
nd it is said that no one attending I