“‘The death-rate of the city for the month of February, like the rate for December and January, is abnormally high, being a shade over ten per cent above the normal for this time of year. While the causes of mortality range through the commoner diseases, with a special rise in pulmonary troubles, it is evident that the increase must be due to some special cause. In the opinion of the Bureau of Health this cause is the despised and infectious “cold,” more properly known as coryza, which has been epidemic this winter in the city. Although the epidemic wave is now receding, its disastrous aftereffects may be looked for in high mortality rates for some months. Should a similar onset occur again, the city will be asked to consider seriously a thorough school campaign, with careful isolation of all suspicious cases.’”
“Did you write that, young man?” asked Mrs. Sharpless suspiciously.
“Why, no; I didn’t write it,” answered the Health Master. “I’ll go as far as to admit, however, that Dr. Merritt listens politely to my humble suggestions when I offer them.”
“Humph! Ten per cent increase. What is that in real figures?”
“Twenty-five extra deaths a month,” said Manny Clyde, a growing expert on local statistics.
“Seventy-five needless deaths for the three months, and more to come,” said the Health Master, “besides all the disability, loss of time and earning power and strength, and all the pain and suffering—which things never get into the vital statistics, worse luck! So much to the account of the busy little coryza-bug.”
“Can’t the Health Bureau do something?” asked the practical Mr. Clyde.
“Not much, until its public is better educated,” said Dr. Strong wearily. “The present business of a health official is to try and beat the fool-killer off from his natural prey with a printed tract. It’s quite a job, when you come to consider it.”
“What he ought to have, is the club of the law!” said Mr. Clyde.
“Precisely. The people won’t give it to him. In this household we’re better off, since we can make our own laws. Since Betty’s attack we’ve tried out the isolation plan pretty effectually; and we’ve followed, as well as might be, the rule of avoiding contact with people having coryza.”