Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-02-25
MEASLES EPIDEMIC
CLOSES TWO GRADES
Doctors Prepare for Spread of
COntagiOn

On Wednesday morning Superin-
tendent Of Schools A. w. Eddy de-
clared that Grades One and Two Of the
local school would be discontinued for
two weeks on account of the epidemic
of measles. Only IS of the 95 enrolled
pupils in these grades were present
on Tuesday. Most of the absenteesl
are thought to be quarantined either
because of their own illness or because
of illness in their families.
The physicians were of the opinion
last week that the closing of the
schools might be necessary within two
weeks on account of the contagion.
They expected that the new crop"
would be quite general in its toll of the
children. Early in the week there was
no grade without its representative un-
der quarantine. The entire school had
been exposed to the malady and it
could not but follow that the number
OF new cases reported when the four
teen days of development from the
time of exposure had passed. would in
clude a majority Of the young people.
The epidemic is not of sufficient dan
ger to startle the community. The
cases seem to be of light nature, less
severe than in similar epidemics of the
past. The symptoms are first noticed
in a cold and stomach ache. The rash
does not break out Immediately but
within a few days. By proper care and
strict compliance with the prescriptions
of the attending doctor the danger is
minimized Fatalities seldom follow an
attack of measles and only when the
proper precaution is seriously neglected
In District number 6, including all
OF Addison County excepting the town
OF Granville, there had been reported
to Health Officer Dr. G.. F Edmunds
of Bristol, during the week ending Feb
ruary y as many as 20 cases During
the next seven days the new cases de-
creased and only l2 were noticed. In
the last four days, however, the begin
ming OF new crop, 10 new cases were
brought to the attention Of Dr. Ed
munds. More than half of the total of
81 cases are in Mddlebury and vicin-
ty.
One of the first cases to be reported
to the health authorities was that of
Thomas, the youngest OF the five Chi
nese boy notables who arrived in Mid
dlebury Christmas Eve. These boys
are of the family Of the late Yuan Shih
Kai, second president of China, and
came to America in late November,
landing in San Francisco. They plan
to complete their education in this
country before their return home.
Little Thomas was here but few days
when he was stricken with the measles.
He was then at the home of President
John NJ Thomas of the College. Up
on his recovery two of his brothers
were brought down with the same NAL
ady. 1t is thought that these boys
contracted the contagion on their jour
ney from New York 1t is very likely
that they were exposed on the train
even in Vermont as the sickness had
been raging in epidemic form in the
southern part of the state in December.
The number of cases in the state for
the four weeks ending February II
was 372. On January "a there had been
reported for the preceding seven days
5S cases, on January 81 there were IA
less; on February the number had
jumped to l34, although week later,
on February II, a gain of two, or 1856
cases, did not mark any further spread.
The health officer wished the Regis
ter to warn the public that the laws
require that he be notified Of all cases
of the disease, whether or not attended
by physician Members of quaran-
tined families, even those immune from
the contagion, are not permitted to go
to public places. Both Of these meas
ures are for the better safeguarding OF
the community in general. There is no
need for any panic as measles cannot