New Britain herald., 1924-12-17
Instructors Excluded From Rooms Because They May Have Been In Contact With Dis ease Germs.
Health Officer Woisard Says There Are "About 20 Cases '--10 Patients Now in Isolation Hos- pital. z
(special ts The Harald.l


 Bristol, Dec. 17--Scarlet fever has gripped this city in epidemic form, despite all efforts of the health board, health officer, and school au- thorities to check its spread, accord ing 10 statistics compiled today by the school board and Health Officer J. l, Woisard, In discussing the situ- alton today Health Officer Woisard said about 20 cases" had been re- ported but expressed the opinion that possibly all had not been re- ported to him as yet,
 IS Teachers Barred
 Eighteen teachers of the public schools were excluded yesterday from their rooms by order of Super- intendent of Schools Kari A. Reiche after conference with Dr. Woisard as the instructors had been eating in dining house, where two cases, both children, had been discovered. Although the afflicted youngsters have been removed to an isolation hospital in New Haven, 1t was thought by the officials that the least suspicion of contact should be con- sidered reason for the exclusion.
 At least two teachers are i'll with the malady and quarantines have been placed on their homes. Tn both cases, where other teachers have roomed in the houses with the af- fected persons, the others have been removed and have been excluded from teaching.
 1 One case has developed ir the 1 Butler hotel on Laurel street but the patient has been removed 10 New Haven. Practically 10 people have been taken to New Haven in the lass few days to the isolation hospital for 1 treatment.
 Officials Confer
 Mayor John r. Wade and Health Officer Wolsard conferred on the situation this morning but nothing could be learned as to the decision made. That the scarlet fever had assumed proportions, not anticipated few weeks ago, when the first cases were reported, was indicated by the serious air of the city officials, who were coping with the situation as ef- ficiently as possible. With no isols- ton hospital to handle the cases. and the local hospital already over crowded, the city faces 8 menace that was predicted for smallpox when that scare drifted over the municipality last summer. Although no cases of that malady were offi- cially reported, vaccination ard oth- CT preventives were ordered.
 The spread of another malady was not dreamed of at that time and the steps toward the establishment of an isolation hospital, considered then, were not taken. The board of health last summer voted in anticipation of smallpox 10 consider options for the isolation hospital but as far as can | be learned that was as far as the movement went.
 Substitutes Engaged
 Substitutes were engaged yester- day by Superintendent Reicke for the rooms from which the instruc- tcrs had been excluded. MT. Reichs said that the closing of the schools had been considered this morning but that a checking up process by Dr. Woisard had shown the major ity or the cases of sickness were among adults and that the health officer thought that he could secure better information on Conditions by having the schools open. Another point in favor of the continued ses- sIons Is that the children were un- der the surveillance of two health nurses, a school physician and the health officer.
 The Christmas vacation season be- gins on Friday so that the institu- tions will be closed for two weeks at least.
 Not sent Away
 sunerirt,nacnt Rrlche said that reports of Domfret teacher being sent out of her home town were er- . roneoas. He sad that the instructor had not been in the best ol health all yrar and was ill on the train as reported. An inquiry by the super ,rtende7t at inc teachers home last night revealed the fact that scarlet fever had developed.
 Checking Contacts As fur as possible the health au- thoritics are checking contacts with eases so that exposures may be linn it,d. In this way the malady can be kept down. The rapid jump of . the fever in the last few days caused undue alarm about the city in inc opinion of the school end health offi- cials. who feel that everything pos sible is being done and that the ] disease will be halted.
 No trace as to the source of the epidemic has been discovered.
 A teacher whose home is in Holyokc. Mass. and who is excluded from her class room, telepsoned to The health department in her own city and received permission to go
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