Show pERMIT SPREAD p OF DISEASE I Whatever the reason It must be plain that the health department is a failure so far as its most import important I ant duty the prevention of disease is hs concerned For months the number n of scarlet fever cases has been abnormal and the rate has been maintained steadily which is of itself evidence of I Ineffective quarantine Such reports as have been had from individual cases tend to show that when a case Is re reported reported reported ported and the quarantine flag nag nailed up the health departments supervision is at an end Instead with knowledge of the case at hand it should be the I duty dut of the department to see that every eel precaution is taken to prevent I further C spread of the disease and if possible trace the source of the con contagion contagion so there may be no additional cases from that source I Every Intelligent physician knows I that scarlet fever feyer Is traceable to some focal point of infection effective health departments make it their business to locate these original sources of dis disease disease disease ease and by Isolating Is latIng them prevent any additional cases In Salt Lake however so far as outside observation shows the department makes no such effort the houses where the tIle disease ex cx exists exIsts are not Isolated and it is left to the parents of patients to observe the law or not as they please The Injury from scarlet fever is not limited to the tho deaths it Inflicts in some cases eases of oC recovery the after ef ct effects effectS are only less serious than death Itself resulting in disability or r impaired health for life With the amount of oC money that is spent pent on the th health department the people have havo a aright aright aright right to expect better petter service they have a right though hey they have been disappointed In this to expect the head of the department to give some little of his time and attention to direction of or his official work they have a right rl ht to demand protection from the tho criminal carelessness or ignorance of those who pry no attention to quarantine law but permit Innocent neighbors and associates associates associates ates to become exposed to one of a the most dangerous of diseases It Is time for a reform in this par particular particular branch of the municipal admin administration adminIstration administration and the reform might well begin be ln at the head of the tho department |