The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, February 4, 1909 Several weeks since MISS HARRIET STANLEY, who has been an efficient instructor in the Chariton city schools for years, was temporarily suspended from her position by the Board of Directors by order of the State Board of Health, pending investigation as to whether or not she is a victim of tuberculosis. This suspension was due to complaint of certain patrons of the school. This necessitated her to go to the trouble and expense of proving, if possible, the fear groundless. The matter had been up before local physicians and opinion was divided. She later went to Iowa City where the sputum was examined and the decision inclining toward her side of the case, and also a Chicago specialist was consulted and declared positively that she was not in any way inoculated with tubercular bacilli. Some -- may in fact -- thought this ought to end the matter but the State Board holds off for a final hearing. This is briefly stated without going into details of all the minor facts. The Leader appreciates the position MISS STANLEY is placed in and sympathizes with her in the hardship and hopes that if an injustice is done that she will be fully vindicated in her rights, but we are not in a position to say which side is correct, not having the evidence at hand, and even if we had, not being scientifically equipped sufficiently to decide. * * * * The Leader has been asked to enter into the matter and give "vindicating" and "vindictive" advice in the sphere of a newspaper. This we refuse to do from the reasons stated above, for it is a well known saying, age worn into a fact, that "oft times fools rush in where angels fear to tread," and the writer does not care to pose as a fool in giving learned opinions on subjects he is not cognizant of and while not an "Angel," yet does not desire to do anyone an injustice by assisting in the formation of opinion on immature evidence. It is not through fear we decline to discuss the matter to a final conclusion, but from the absence of conclusive evidence. * * * * While the Leader has the utmost sympathy for MISS STANLEY yet we refuse to go into the drastic criticism of the State Board of Health which some suggest. While we know their rule is absolute under the State law -- an entity unto themselves, yet the general aim is good. The State Board should have more than ordinary authority, for there is nothing second to public health and it takes strong measures to stamp out contagious maladies, and public safety demands that they act where the symptoms appear and not wait for the scourge to develop in the full force of its blight. * * * * We are going to give a little personal experience. A few years since, while residing at Pleasantville, Iowa, diphtheria broke out in the town. The Board of Health orders were for a time ignored. Suddenly twenty new cases developed, five deaths simultaneously occurred and other children suffer today from the disease. A black pall hung over the homes and the hand seemed heavy and suspense was intense. Silently little forms were taken out without cortege and buried in hidden graves as pest from the face of the earth and mothers mourned bereft even of the consolation of neighbors, or what little they could offer. The citizens became aroused, the physicians were alarmed and a mass meeting was held in the opera house, and members of the State Board of Health were appealed to and were present. They gave instructions for sanitation, ordered a rigid quarantine, notified the doctors that if these rules were not obeyed in the matter of reporting cases and throwing out safe-guards the punishment would be the surrender of their permits to practice the profession. The rules were obeyed and the caution lived up to and soon the scourge passed over. It might have passed over anyway, who knows? * * * * Some said it was tyranny, but not those whose children's lives were exposed. If tyranny at all it was tyranny at the opportune time, whether effective or not. * * * * Reverting to MISS STANLEY's case again. She may be the subject of injustice and there may be an appearance of a lack of frankness in dealing with her -- or mistaken judgments, but it is best not to impugn entirely the motives of the Board of Health, and while they may be overly technical, yet if the tests verify her claims she will be re-instated although an injury has been done her, not an intentional wrong, perhaps. * * * * Doctors don't always agree. When they don't agree they are merely guessing. If in this case the guessing is kept up much longer it will resolve itself into "persecution," if it has not reached that stage already. The prerogatives of the August board of Health has no moral right to delay this investigation and finding indefinitely. In justice MISS STANLEY is entitled to their immediate and final decision. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert May 9, 2005 iggy29@rnetinc.net