Haug, Clarence c1884 - 1897

HAUG

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:43

Source: Decorah Republican Jan. 14, 1897 P 5 C 2

—Clarence Haug, only son of Mr. and Mrs. G. P. Haug, died early Monday morning after a very brief illness from either membraneous croup or diphtheria. Friday he was out and about town; the following day he was taken sick and the disease progressed so rapidly that death claimed him in forty-eight hours, He was a bright lad of thirteen years, and a general favorite among his associates. The funeral was held yesterday afternoon, Rev. L. L. Lockard officiating.

Source: Decorah Republican Jan. 14, 1897 P 4 C 1

What Does it Mean?
—.Monday morning Clarence Haug died from what Dr. Amy diagnosed as membraneous croup. Mayor Daubney, who was called in consultation, pronounced the disease diphtheria. As the boy died inside of forty-eight hours after being taken sick, it is fair to presume that the disease was of a malignant character. Subsequently Dr. Amy called upon Health Officer Stevens and said the boy died of diphtheria laryngitis, and the case had not been reported because of absence from home in the country for forty-eight hours. No quarantine was established; a public funeral was permitted and all the rules of the State Board of Health were violated. The case is one in which public rights and health have been disregarded to a degree that is almost astounding.

Source: Decorah Republican Jan. 28, 1897 P 5 C 3

Decorah, Iowa, January 27th, 1897, EDS. REPUBLICAN:
Please-allow me space in the columns of your paper to state a few facts relative to the case of diptheria and death of Clarence Haug referred to in your issues Jan’y 14th and 21st.
Your first article states that: “No quarantine was established, a public funeral was permitted, and all rules of the State Board of Health were violated.”
And leaves people to infer that Dr. H. B. Amy had flagrantly violated these rules and jeopardized the health of the public. This is false in every particular, and whatever blame there is, if there be any, I wish to fall on my shoulders and mine alone. Dr. Amy is perfectly innocent so far as this case is concerned and her reputation as a physician is too well established to permit even an inference of blame to attach to her name. Dr. Amy was the attending physician and I was called as counsel, subsequently Dr. Amy was called in the country and I was again called just after the child died.
I immediately ordered a strict quarantine with the exception of a placard, and a strictly private funeral was held; no one was allowed in the room but the undertaker and myself; after disinfecting and embalming the casket was hermetically sealed and never reopened; no children were permitted near the house, not even members of the family, nor family friends; four men (not boys) acted as bearers; the bedding, the house, and everything pertaining thereto was thoroughly disinfected under my direction and supervis{i}on; and all possible precautions were taken to prevent the spread of the disease, as is evidenced by the fact that no other cases are traceable to this one, and this case terminated nearly a month ago.
As stated above, with the exception of a placard, all rules of the State Board of Health were complied with.
The above facts were telephoned by the Mayor to the junior editor of the REPUBLICAN prior to your issue of January 14th.
Very Respectfully,
F. W. DAUBNEY, M. D.

Source: Decorah Republican Feb. 4, 1897 P 4 C 3

Dr. Daubney has taken the blame of whatever was lax in this case hence we need not dwell upon that.
He goes on to say “I immediately ordered a strict quarantine with the exception of a placard; * * * “no children were permitted near the house, not even members of the family; nor family friends: four men {not boys) acted as bearers: * * * “and this case terminated nearly a month ago.”
The junior editor of the REPUBLICAN, who writes these lines, had a conversation with Dr. Daubney over the telephone on the afternoon of Jan. 13th in which he made inquiries regarding the case, its nature and what was being done in the matter. The Doctor replied that it was a case of diphtheria, that he had merely been called in consultation, that the case was Dr. Amy's, he had advised precautionary measures, but had done nothing more than this out of courtesy to Dr. Amy because she was a woman. Not in any word or sentence during the conversation did Dr. Daubney say or intimate that he had ordered a strict quarantine. IF HE HAD SAID SO THEN THIS CONTROVERSY WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.
The funeral took place Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 13th, at the house. Rev. Lockard, of the M. E. church, officiated. Arthur Wilson. with Dr. Simmon's, Frank Mathis and R. H. Tracy were bearers. We believe the first mentioned of these four comes under the head of “youth” as he is yet in his “teens.” There were present at the funeral besides the parents and their friends, Mrs. Thune, who assisted during the illness, Mrs. A. A. Chandler and daughter Alta, Mrs. R. A. Wilson, Miss Thune, Mrs. A. G. Seavy, Mrs. Mrs. Lockard, and three other persons whose names we were unable to get. Those we believe are all good and true friends of Mrs. and Mrs. Haug. These are sufficient to negative Mayor Daubney's claim of a private funeral. We are unwilling to lay the blame of the presence of these people at the funeral upon the parents, for from ever source we ran learn they took proper means to prevent visitors.
As to the termination of the case:— The boy died Jan. 11th, funeral Jan. 13th; Dr. Daubney’s communication was written on the 27th, just 14 days or less than a half month after the termination of the incident.
It is not pleasant to kick, or (we suppose,) to be kicked; but with several cases of membraneous croup having occured, diphtheria in the country round about, other cases in town existing, it looked as though there was danger of an epidemic breaking out and that it was time for some one to "kick," and demand that more attention be paid to the very proper rules of the State Board of Health. In the discharge of a self-evident duty the REPUBLICAN “kicked " We are satisfied good will come of it even if it is unpleasant all around.