Archive for December 1st, 2011

1
Dec

Diphtheria Causes Anxiety

   Posted by: admin    in Disease, Quarantine

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 1, 1903

Diphtheria Causes Anxiety

Spread of Disease Rapid During Past Few Days

Five New Cases Reported at the City Hall Today – Schools May Be Fumigated Saturday.

Five new cases of diphtheria were reported on the bulletin board at the city hall today. Quarantine was established at the following homes:

Nels Greber, 235 South Thirteenth street, West Fort Dodge.

Gotleib Proeschold, 427 Third avenue south.

Mrs. J.W. Flaherty, 1726 Fifth avenue south.

H.M. Limm, 1216 Eleventh avenue south.

The Kirkpatrick home, 1227 Fifth avenue south.

The rapid spread of the disease has again attracted the attention of physicians, the health authorities and the public in general. The character of the quartine (sic) maintained on homes where the disease exists has not been allowed to relax and so far the health authorities can give no reason for the recent unexpected spread when the disease was thought to be well inĀ  hand. Some physicians say that while diphtheria is not what is usually termed a contagious disease it is nevertheless more contagious than has been supposed.

It is not unlikely that Saturday all the schools of the city will be fumigated and allowed to be aired the following day.

(Editor’s note: Diphtheria was the cause of death of my great-grandmother’s father and sister, and quite likely her two brothers as well, in 1879. All four died in about a three-week period. It is part of the recommended immunization schedule for children in the U.S. and currently there are only about five cases a year. However, this is one of those shots you have to renew about every 10 years, so if you haven’t had one in that time, you might want to see your doctor.)

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1
Dec

May Affiliate With Y.W.C.A.

   Posted by: admin    in Organizations

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 1, 1903

May Affiliate With Y.W.C.A.

Mosaic Club May Become a Branch of Young Woman’s Christian Association.

State Secretary is Coming

Will Be in City Friday, December 18 – Many Advantages to be Derived.

Miss A. Estelle Paddock, state secretary of the Young Woman’s Christian Association, will be in Fort Dodge Friday, December 18, and will remain over Sunday. Her visit is at the invitation of the Mosaic club. At a recent business meeting it was the unanimous voice of the members that steps be taken toward affiliating that society, so well known in Fort Dodge, with the larger, more broadly known work of the Young Woman’s Christian Association.

Some of the reasons for this step are as follows:

  1. Affiliation brings the Mosaic club in close touch with an organized work of world-wide scope, and makes it possible for the local society to get help and inspiration from a society of broad experience and thorough organization.
  2. Affiliation puts the club in a position to receive regular visits from the state Y.W.C.A. secretary, or from a national secretary if the needs of the local work demand it, and constant supervision of the work by the state and national organization.
  3. It makes it possible for the club to be represented at the State Y.W.C.A. conventions, the Lake Geneva summer conferences, and other helpful meetings of the world’s work.
  4. It makes it necessary for the club to become an incorporated body under state law. At present the Mosaic club could not inherit property if any one were disposed to leave it a fortune.
  5. It puts the society in a position to secure a trained secretary to direct its efforts.

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