The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-29
: Fightingoth.e Fla.
columbia Record.)


The flu is with US again. OF this
| there is no doubt, as the doctors tell
us that in its widespread influence and
yiruience, it is more sincere than the
previous epidemic, through which we
were thought to have safely passed.
The danger is not yet over, and there
is time now to take such action as
may be deemed necessary to cut snort
the life of this scourge before It taxes
Ia reer toll Of lives in this commune
~. To that end various Suggestions
are ahoat. a455: IS S. $
The question of quarantine agalnsI
he spread of the disease seems 70 US US
to be the one of most Importance 1llst
at tits period. The method OF pro-,
lection. cure and prevention have
been discussed in full, and to various
ends. Checking the spread Of the dis;
ease, which in some localities mas
already laid an alarming hand upon
the peoples lives, is now, we siaallLl.s saaalasE
of paramount importance.
During the spread Of the meningitis,
epidemic last winter prompt and Eff:
fective measures were taken to hghJS
the disease In every outbreak OF
smallpox within the history Of the
State there has been a prompt ana
intelligent fight begun and carT1eo
through to a successful concfuslon,by by
which the disease was stamped QUE.
The history of the two ravaging epi-
denies of the influenza within the last
six months shows no such InteiilgenI
effort AT least in so far as results at
tained may count The disease mas
spread Of its own malignant will, and
faltered, not died, by chance. Quar-
antines, such as we have been sub
jected to, have been ineffective. ana
why? -
Why quarantine against a highly
communicable disease by closing the
atres. churches, schools and places
of public amusement and gathering,
which are attended largely by people.
in good health? Why suppose that
with only twelve people standing 10
an already overcrowded and if1-yell-S
ti,ated street car, there is less chance
of someone in the first stages or the
influenza boarding the car and sneez-
.oe the germ into the atmosphere
Why not quarantine the influenza it,
self?
IF every individua! case of influenza
was regarded as a public danger, and.
action promptly taken by the attend, :.
ing physician to report it to the
poroper health authorities, one step
toward prevention would have been
advanced. Tne, neXt. ana aost irn-s5
port.l!l. step. ssatl tiie o1e that, in our
opinion. woald most srrei3- .cIose the
door 10 further spread OF the dis
case. would bt> for the heath au-
tiaoIitias 10 promptly aa:i effectively
Quarantine The individual case. i: that
is done, these Is guaranty that no
f,rtaer geIIus M;l!.he spread abroad
from that particular patient, nor from
anyone who comes 81 contact with tho
ease.
Unless this is done tie same aim
less fight against tie fla WIZ 5e kept
Up uutil as some cEnical physicians
have been known 10 remark recently
everyone wnc has not yet had fiie fla
VIII nave It. 11.s.t iilseati seems 20
hc ,iaa. program T.ld tbs highly en-
couraging prospect held out to us by
these men. of medicine.
Business mes naturally protest.
and righ1iy enoush. against tie oper-
a,jon CT Il strict general quarantine.
And .:t.ti! conditions loom ,t:alA and
menacing the quarantine IS not put
On. Ii is d face thu, there is enough
Influenza raging in South Carolina,
and in other States nearby, to give the
situation a gloomy aspect And until
deaths shock the communities into
action the.a viii he no quarantine.
Business VIII SEQ to that
Why not give the inG;vidlial quar-
a.?6ne . trial 1t sul.]S can Go no
harm. ard business. 10 whom the
prospect o. a general quarantine is
alarming. ANA imminent, would look
upon the trial with eQaanimity, we
are sure