Show I SC H 00 L 1 C i BY HEALTH BOARD Work in the Washington Tem Tern Temporarily Temporarily Suspended Because of Diphtheria Epidemic EIGHT CASES IN TWO DAYS INVESTIGATION PURSUED BY CITY AND STATE OFFICERS The T Washington school at Fourth North orth and First West streets has been temporarily closed because of the alarm alarming alarmIng ing lug outbreak of diphtheria in that local locality ity fly The action in closing the school was taken after a conference between Super Superintendent SuperIntendent Superintendent D H Christensen and Assistant City Physician Samuel G PauL As 8 it was rather late tate in the evening when the decision decisIon ion was as reached the teachers were not notified of the action taken but Superintendent SuperIntendent Superintendent Christensen wishes them to call at his of office flee this morning instead of re reporting reportIng reporting porting at the school What proportions the epidemic has reached in the school district has bas not yet been determined Dr Samuel G Paul said that in the last two days eight cases of or diphtheria had developed in the dis die district district dietrict According to Superintendent D H II Christensen four or five cases have de developed developed in the school and a number of others in the immediate vicinity Many Cases Found A case caso of diphtheria was discovered early In the week in the time family of or D H Vincent living near Second West and Fourth North orth street The child afflicted with the disease was not attending school but there were four other children In the same family who were attending the Washington school Next door to the Vincent family famil another small child in a family named Harris has diphtheria Two I children chil from froni this family were pupils In inthe tho the Washington school schoolA ool oolA A little girl attending the same school was taken ill yesterday esterday and today the board of or health pronounced her illness Dr T B Beatty secretary of the state board of ot health said that he had found two one family in inthe inthe the th same school district and nd that there were n R number of other cases in the neighborhood The Washington school which Is at attended attended attended tended by over oer 00 pupils is one of the largest in the city and a large percent percentage percentage age of ot this number are believed to have been exposed to the malady A strict in investigation Is ia being made by both the city and an l the state health departments in order I to stop if It possible the spread of the die dis disease i ease The epidemic seems to be confined chiefly to the Washington school district i although althou h a case has been reported in the time I Oquirrh district and a few scattering i cases in other sections of or the he city cit I School Is Fumigated I i Several Sv ral rooms in the Washington I school were disinfected d last evening ev and the entire building will be to day da Supt Christensen expressed the hope bope j that the school would be reopened Mon Monday Monday oon day but Dr Paul Dr Beatty Beatt were w re not so sanguine over Oer the prospect though both the physicians admonished the public against being unduly alarmed In their investigations the health of discovered a number num r of eases casts I where physicians ph clans had not been called in inand Inand inand and where the parents did not know what was the matter with mth the children In one place riace it was thought until the doctor ductor I reached the place that the child was af with mumps Professor Prof H B Folsom principal ot t the Washington n school said ai last night j Wo hat always taken the utmost care to mf guard the tue pupils of the school against the spread of ot the contagion and I dont think the school can be blamed I for the outbreak The Ignorance and amI in tome some casts cases the poverty of the th parents parent has prevented them from calling in a physician when i l child was tak taken n sick hind hilt it Is often orten several severn 1 days before it is uncovered o that the child Is suffering with diphtheria In the majority of oC cases of f diphtheria in our district the tIme victims have hae been children too young oung to attend school Such cases we 0 hear nothing n ia 1 yet et several children from the tho same caine fam fain fly ily 11 where a is M ill ll at home with diphtheria attend school until by bv acci dent lent the case is 18 discovered by he health department and the home quarantined I No Need for Alarm In an interview last Superintend Superintendent nd eat ent Christensen emphasized c the fact that there thre was no need for alarm at the action on taken In closing the school Ve We dlf not riot consider t Imperative to close the school said ald Mr r Christensen but we I deemed It wiss wis as a precautionary mea meas measure ure Four or five cases developed among the school chool child children en recently and Dr Paul Psul discovered li overe several more in the time Jig dis among children who were not at tending t tc school schoolA A thorough investigation will be made in Ia the district Unless the disease miss lias spread a great sent deal more than tan we thinK thin it has ha the school will be re reo ltd Mon day The closing of ot the schoot was in inno inno inno no sense an order from the health de tie department department but merely a p measure Dr v Paul Vaul ul and myself thought advisable able to t take Eight Cases in Two Days Samuel Smuel G O Paul in inan n nan nan an Interview said regarding the diphtheria ria tIn epidemic Eight Bight cases of diphtheria have been to us within the tIme past bast two days dars among children from the Washington school In one block bounded by b Fifth and Sixth North and Second and Third West Vest est there are arC three families quarantined tined Lined with from ore OlE to three children in each family suffering from diphtheria In the family of ot D H Vincent there are two cases cosea of or diphtheria Four ch chI chit I from this family have been attend I ing tIme the ton school one in room r om omi i 15 Th 1 one in room 13 lt another in room 10 andl and I the fourth in room 1 L In n the Harris fam family fly ily in the same block there are three I cases eases of diphtheria and three children i iwho j who attend the time Washington school One j of f the school children in this family hiJ I the diphtheria Both the Harris and Vin Vincent i i cent families were quarantined t r I slay day lal In III the th third family there is r I case of ot diphtheria the victim of the dig die disease I ease also alS being a pupil at the same school a as the others If Jr J no more marc cases develop in this school j district within the tho three days we wf will allow the school to be reopened on i Monday |