Milwaukee's Fever

Milwaukee's long-lived scarlet fever epidemic attracted national attention last week when, with the peak total of 1,507 cases reported. Dr. John Peter Koehler, chief city health officer, ordered all Milwaukee children under seven to stay away from school for a month, banned them from churches, movies, libraries, other public places.

Milwaukee's two biggest dailies outdid themselves in their enthusiasm to "assist parents in finding things for children to do" while underfoot at home. Hearst's Wisconsin News elaborately offered each day's lessons to the 25,000 marooned tots. The Journal got primary teachers themselves to broadcast to their pupils twice daily.

The epidemic started last May, declined through the summer and autumn, flared up virulently after the New Year. To date 8,000 children have been immunized in 25 schools. A total of 8,300 cases have been quarantined for a 28-day period. Twenty-eight have died.

With pride last week, infested Milwaukee's health officials announced that the city's death rate of 8.1 per 1,000 was the nation's lowest.

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