January 11, 1902 Scarlet Fever

Scarlet Fever, Quarantined, Fumigation: all words we rarely hear any more. That was not the case in the early 1900s. A look through the old Farmer Review newspapers quickly turned up more than 20 reports from 1900 to 1903.

March 1901, “There are two cases of scarlet fever in town and one a mile out, all light, and as a strict quarantine has been made, it is thought that there will be no more cases reported. Ovid has had a number of cases, one fatal, and it is reported the school has been closed as a precaution.”

On January 11, 1902, the Covert Town Board was “called together by order of Hiram Bloomer, Supervisor and duly assigned as a Board of Health.” A complaint had been sent to Dr. L. A. Gould, health officer of the town. It was dated January 7, 1902, and signed by C. O Townsend, Geo C. Torbert, J. B. Moore.

“We the undersigned residents of School District #14 in said town respectfully ask that you disinfect or fumigate the school building in district No 14, Farmer, NY in as much as a case of scarlet fever broke out a few days ago in said school building.”

“In regards to the fumigating the board thought it well to have it done.”

District #14 school house on North Main Street, Interlaken Historical Society Photo #842

Looking at the newspaper reports, cases would be reported, then an all-clear would be noted. Today we can be thankful that scarlet fever can be treated with antibiotics and quarantine is a historical word.

Sources: Town of Covert Board Meeting Minutes Book 3, page 483

Farmer Review items

Dewitt’s Diary: January 11, 1945 & 1946, 1945 Working at the meat again today. We made sausage this afternoon. Martin was down. Letter from Leland who is in Belgium now. Many boys are in Belgium from here. 1946 Painting upstairs this morning. Mild and muddy. Working in the woods this afternoon. Going to butcher tomorrow.