Quarantine Rules
Abner & Alma Graves Residence
Strident rules and restrictions were put in place whenever a diagnosis of an infectious disease was made. The newspaper frequently noted the homes where the sick were located. To further insure the safety of the public, signs were to be prominently posted on the homes or any other building where the diseases were found. When Alma Graves contracted typhoid fever, their house (pictured above) was subject to the quarantine rules from the first of January until her death on the 25th day of March, 1902. As noted in the post concerning typhoid fever (found here: Typhoid Fever ) it was unusual that a funeral for Alma Graves was allowed at the Methodist Church.
Denison Bulletin - May 6, 1896
Rules and Regulations of the State Board of Health
Rule 10. All keepers of hotels, restaurants, and others accumulating garbage, are required to have a proper covered receptacles for swill and house offal, and to cause the contents to be regularly removed as often as twice each week between the first day of May and the first day of November, and once each week at all other seasons.
Rule 11. Between the first day of May and the first day of November no hogs shall be kept within the limit named in Rule 5, except in pens with floors, the pens to be kept entirely free from standing water, and regularly cleaned and freely disinfected; and during the months named no hogs shall be kept elsewhere within the jurisdiction of this Board, within twenty-five rods of any dwelling, except in pens with dry floors, or pens free from all filth and standing water. Cattle yards, barns and stables must be kept clean and free from all filth and offensive smell. This Board will order the removal of such animals at any time, when they appear to be prejudicial to the public health, safety or comfort.
Rule 12. It shall be the duty of every physician residing, or practicing within the limits of this city, to give written notice to the mayor, or health officer of any case of Asiatic Cholera, Small Pox, Diphtheria, Membranous Croup, Scarlet Fever (Scarlet Rash, Scarlantina), Typhoid Fever, Typhus Fever, Measles, or other disease dangerous to the public health that he may be called on to attend professionally within twenty-four hours after he shall first visit and ascertain the character of any disease herein named. In all cases where no physician is in attendance, it shall be the duty of any person having charge of, or being at the head of a family, or having the care or custody of any lodging rooms to give notice in like manner as required herein of physicians.
Rule 13. It shall be the duty of the Mayor immediately upon receiving notice of the existence of a case of the above diseases, or other contagious disease, to take such measures as may be necessary and proper for the restriction and suppression of such disease; and to investigate all the circumstances attendant upon the occurrence of the same, and to provide for the proper care and maintenance of the sick, and all quarantined persons; and for this purpose he shall call to his aid the health officer of the local board of health, and in case the health officer shall be in doubt as to the nature of the disease, or for other good reason, he shall call to his aid any competent physician with whom to advise with reference to the course proper to be pursued for the public safety. And it shall be the duty of the health physician at the termination of ay case of contagious disease herein named, to disinfect or cause to be disinfected, the premises on which such disease shall have occurred, together with all infected furniture, bedding, clothing, and other articles as provided by regulations of the State Board of Health.
Rule 14. Quarantine shall be deemed to be:
1. The placing of a yellow cloth or card not less than eighteen inches square, having imprinted thereon the name of the disease in large letters, upon such conspicuous place on each building, hall, lodging room, or place where exists a contagious disease, as will best protect the public health.
2. The separation of the sick room from all other persons, if possible, and from all persons except the membership of the family, the attending physician and nurse.
3. The complete exclusion of all persons from the premises.
4. That no person shall leave said premises except the attending physician without a permit therefrom signed by the mayor and countersigned by the health officer.
5. That no article that has been used on or about a person sick with a contagious or infectious disease shall be removed from the sick room, nor from the premises, until the same has been properly disinfected.
6. That when nurses are employed to care for the sick they shall not be permitted to leave the premises during such employment, and where neighbors, relatives or friends serve as nurses, they shall not be permitted to leave the premises without previous change of clothing, proper disinfection, and a permit from the health physician.
Rule 15. Quarantine shall be established and maintained in each and every case for the period named herein, to-wit: Asiatic Cholera, twenty-one days; Small Pox, forty days; Scarlet Fever (Scarlet Rash, Scarlatina), thirty-five days; Diphtheria, thirty-five days; Membranous Croup, thirty-five days; Measles, twenty-one days; Typhus Fever, until complete recovery and twenty-one days thereafter.
Rule 16. Upon notice being given the existence of any of the diseases named herein the mayor shall cause a yellow cloth or card not less than eighteen inches square, having the name of the disease in large letters printed thereon, to be fastened upon some conspicuous place of each building in which such disease prevails, said cloth or card to be maintained during the existence of the disease, and until the premises have been properly cleaned, disinfected and purified, and until quarantine is released.
Rule 17. If any person shall willfully or maliciously remove or deface or cause to be removed or defaced, any signal of danger, or cloth or card placed upon any quarantined premises, without the proper authority as provided herein, he shall be prosecuted, as provided by law.
Rule 18. During the existence of any contagious or infectious disease any family or household, or place in this city and until after the recovery of the sick, and the disinfection of the premises where such disease shall have existed, no person residing in such household, family or place, shall be permitted to attend any public or private school, nor any public place, without written permission from the mayor countersigned by the health officer, and no superintendent, teacher, or officer of any school shall permit any child or person from any such family, household or place to attend any school without a permit from the mayor countersigned by the health officer, upon the recommendation of the attending physician showing thorough disinfection of the person, clothing and premises.
Rule 19. Whenever there is complete recovery of persons who have been sick with a contagious disease, and there are no further exposures thereto, the quarantine may be released, although the period prescribed in Rule 15 hereof has not elapsed, PROVIDED that no release of quarantine shall be permitted until proper disinfection or persons and premises is made as hereinafter provided.
Rule 20. No order for the release of quarantine shall be made by the Mayor until he has received from the attending physician a statement showing the number of persons under his supervision sick with a contagious disease; their name; age, when the disease first appeared; when recovered; and what means for disinfection, if any, have been used. Said statement shall be submitted to the health officer of the board of health, who, if he shall find that the provisions of the regulations of the State Board have been complied with, shall approve the said statement, whereupon the Health Officer shall forth with release the quarantine, but if the health officer shall find that said regulations have not been complied with, the Mayor shall order the same to be complied with under the direction of the attending physician, or by some other person under the supervision of the health officer.
Rule 21. The body of a person who has dies from Asiatic Cholera, Small Pox, Diphtheria, Membranous Croup, Scarlet Fever (Scarlet Rush, Scarlantina), Typhoid Fever, Typhus Fever or Measles, shall not be removed from the sick room until it has been wrapped in a cloth saturated with a solution of corrosive sublimate (one ounce to six gallons of water), and then tightly enclosed in a coffin. The body shall then be buried immediately without the attendance of any person other than is necessary for the interment thereof.
No public funeral shall be held of any person who has dies from any of the diseases named herein, and no public funeral shall be held at a house, nor on any premises where there is a case of, or where there has recently occurred a death from any of said diseases.
Rule 22. No person, company, corporation or association having charge of, or control of, any school house or church, or of any building, room or place used for school or church purposes, or for any public assembly in this city shall permit the body of any person dead from any of the contagious or infectious diseases named in these regulations, or any other dangerous contagious diseases, to be taken into such school house, church, building room, or place, for the purpose of holding funeral service over such body; and not sexton, undertaker, or other person having charge of, or direction of, the burial of any body dead from any of the said diseases, shall permit the coffin or casket containing such body to be opened in the presence of any child, nor shall any child be permitted to act as pall-bearer, or carrier at any such funeral.
Rule 23. No person, whether as owner, occupant, lessee, or agent, shall rent or lease, or permit the occupation by any person, of nay house, room or place in which there has been any of the contagious diseases named herein, unless the same has been previously thoroughly disinfected, and such disinfection approved by the mayor and health officer, and it shall be the duty of the mayor to maintain a danger signal upon any such premises as provided in rule sixteen, until such disinfection is made.
Rule 24. After death or recovery of persons sick from a contagious or infectious disease, the room, furniture, and other contents not to be destroyed, shall be thoroughly disinfected. The paper on the walls and ceiling, if any there be, shall be removed and completely burned. The floor, wood work, and wooden furniture, shall be painted over with a solution made by dissolving one ounce of corrosive sublimate in six gallons of water, the painting to remain one hour and then be removed by washing with clean water. The walls, if not papered, shall be thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water. When a room and its contents are to be disinfected by fumigation, heavy woolen clothing, silks, furs, stuffed bed covers, beds and other articles which cannot be treated with the solution, shall be so arranged in the room so as to expose the greatest amount of surface, all pockets turned inside out, and after fumigation they shall be hung in the open air, beaten and shaken. Pillows, beds, stuffed mattresses, upholstered furniture, etc., shall be cut open, the contents spread out, and thoroughly fumigated. Carpets shall be taken from the floor and so placed as to be thoroughly fumigated. All clothing, or bedding, or other articles, that have been in contact with a person sick with Asiatic Cholera, or Small Pox shall be burned. During fumigation all openings to the room shall be closed tight.
Rule 25. No person shall give, lend or sell, or offer for sale, any clothing or other article liable to convey infection of ay contagious disease unless the same has been disinfected and such disinfection approved by the health officer.
Rule 26. When Asiatic Cholera, Small Pox, Diphtheria, Scarlet Fever (Scarlatia, Scarlet Rash), Typhoid Fever, Typhus Fever, Membranous Croup, Measles, or any other contagious disease exists in any house or dwelling place of a dealer in, or seller of milk, he shall discontinue, and cease to give, or sell, or distribute milk to any person, or to creameries of butter factories, or in any wise handle such milk, until a permit is granted therefor by the mayor countersigned by the health officer. And no person who attends cows, and the milking, or who has care of the milk vessels or sale or distribution of milk, shall be permitted to enter any premises or place wherein exists any of the diseases herein, nor have any communication direct or indirect with any person who resides in, or is an occupant of, such infected place; nor shall any milk or butter be given away, sold or distributed from such infected place.
Rule 27. Rules and regulations made by the State Board of Health and by the local board of health of this city concerning Asiatic Cholera, Small Pox, Diphtheria, Membranous Croup; Typhoid Fever, Typhus Fever, Scarlet Fever, Measles, or other contagious or infectious diseases, shall be enforced by the mayor under the supervision of the health officer; and all public officers of the city, in their proper capacity, are hereby commanded and enjoined to aid and assist the board of health, the mayor and health officer in the enforcement of said rules and regulations.
