Show STUDENTS EXCITED OVER O RUMOR TUAI GIRLS IiA VE LEPROSY Report Circulated Causes Great Alarm Among Pupils Pupils Pu Pu- pils pus at University While Whilo the rumor that two to young Joung women at the I University of Utah aro arc for leprosy in inthe inthe in inthe the eastern eastern part part part-of of the city pending an investigation by an an eastern spec specialist special special- al has lias gained wide circulation it was this morning emphatically de di denied nied by Pres President dent J. J T. T Kingsbury of the university uni Dr S S. S G. G Paul 1 aul city health commissioner Dr T T. B. B Beatty secretary of the tho state board of health and and others The student body ody was excited at atthe th the tho report when the tho story was circulated hated atE d at the university this morning Students crowded the halls discussing discussing discuss- discuss mf ing the story Tho- Tho instructors and President Kingsbury were with questions The fact that some of the buildings were wen fumigated last night because lecause one or two students were reported to have scarlet fever did not help the matter any Ridiculous Says President I In discussing tl the e matter President Kingsbury said I Such Sucha a rumor is absolutely ridiculous Otis ous and aud it is remarkable that it should gain such a wide circulation The reTort report report re re- re- re port Tort of any contagious disease DInes comes directly to this office Any report that there is leprosy at tho university absolutely is false falEe and we vo wish to have it emphatically denied We hope that no one will get the impression that there is any truth in it Miss Lucy dean of the women said The rumor that there is is leprosy in n the school is false and absurd an anit and it it should be bo denied We know the condition of every girl in n the school and if anything of this nature occurred occurred occurred oc oc- oc- oc it would come to our notice at once Any Anyone one who is responsible for starting such a report ought to ta be deat with severely Investigation at the university shows that the report was probably started by some ono ones who overheard a conversa conversation lon on an East First South street car MiSs Mis Mi s Maud May Babcock instructor of elocution was ms riding on ona ona ona a car with a friend when she remarked remarked re reo re- re marked that two college girls in an eastern city eity contracted leprosy from rats Some who wearing one overheard over over- heard beard the conversation evidently supposed supposed sup- sup I posed nosed that Miss Babcock referred to toI I University of Utah girls an and probably probably proba proba- I bly started the rumor I The Tho lower floor of the library building building build build- ing and the upper floor of the physical cal building were fumigated last n night because of a report from the board of health that Noell oe 1 Mathews had scarlet fever No Report to Authorities Yes I I. I too have heard rumors that there were cases of ot leprosy in town but so far no cases have been discovered by bythe bythe bythe the board of or health said Dr S. S G. G Paul cUy health commissioner I 1 will go to the university theun and make mae thorough Investigation Into the ni matter J Jam 1 am positive that I would have known about It long before this had there been leprosy here however I believe the ru rumors rumors rumors ru- ru mors nothing but nonsense pure and simple Den ln Denying that he had ever heard of any leprosy at the university Dr T. T B B. Beatty Beatty Beatty Beat- Beat ty secretary of ot the state board of health this morning said said- I have This Is the first time that heard of any such rumors If leprosy had been discovered anywhere in the state I sure surely 1 would have ha known about it So far tar as I know those stories are absolutely absolutely without foundation I It Is possible of ot course that leprosy might be carried In the hair in a rat or I whatever they call those things but to tobe tobe tobe be affected a person would have to be inoculated with the disease I presume there Is leprosy in various part of ot the United States The last real trouble ex experienced experienced ex- ex In this country however was In tn Inthe inthe the case of the lepers at Skull valley who died from the disease A person with leprosy would be or ordered ordered ordered or- or dered quarantined If the case was one Tor for deportation the patient would certainly certain- certain ly y be deported There are quarantine stations stations stations sta sta- sta- sta for leprosy prosy In the United States I believe There Is a leper colony in the Hawaiian islands Some days s ago it was reported to the city health department that a girl clerkIng clerk- clerk log Ing ng in a downtown store had contracted leprosy from a rat which she he had been wearing for tor some time Investigation proved that the rumor was nothing more than idle gossip |