River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-01-27
Q -
SCARLET FEVER.
The @rOurge of the Nursery and How
to Treat It.
Nau NorL

That scourge of the nursery, scarlet
fever. is said to be on the increase here.
and SO many ncighborhoods are suffer
ing from il that n number of parents
have sent their children out Of town
for fear of the cOntagion. Besides the
character common to the group known
as eXanthemata, scarletina is almost
always attended by sore throat and the
scarlet rash or eruption, which gives
name to the disease, breaks out AZ
early as the second day after the ap-
pearance Of fever. and ends on the
sixth seventh day in separation of
the Cuticle. Nearly all medical writers
mentlon three varieties of the disease
scarlatina simplex, i'll which scarcely
any throat trouble attends the fever
and the rash; scarlatina anginosa, in
which throat trouble is more promi-
ncnt than i'll either of the other alfec-
tons. and scarlatina maligna, in which
the system is Immediately overborne
hy the violence of the disorder, and
tie patient exhibits great weakness and
loss of vitality. The disease begins
with chilliness. lassitude, headache,
rapid pulse dry, hot skin, flushed face
loss of appetite, and furred tongue.
Presently the throat feels irritated,
grows red and is often swollen. The
small points of the rash so increase that
the skin soon seems almost uni
formly red, extending from the face,
neck and breast to the trunk and ex-
tremitics. The separation of the cuti-
Gle IN the scales usually ends in fort
night or more from the declaration of
the distemper. The fever continues
with the rash; is sometimes accompa-
MED with delerium, even coma. in the
malignant, or third form, the rash
comes out late and partially, being at
times barely pcrceptible. At other
times it may abruptly recede, or be
mingled with livid spots. The skin is
cold, with feeble pulse and extreme
prostration, and death may occur
frequently from blood poisoning a
few hours. In such cases the tongue is
dry, brown, tremulous; the throat il
liyid, swollen, liberated, gangrenous,
Breathing is impeded by viscid mucus
that collects about the fauces, and med
ieinc avails little. Even in scarlatina
augintiSa there is considerable danger;
il mGy prove fatal from the Inflammation
or Ctiusion within the head, or from
disoFganization of the throat and
sloughing off of adjacent parts. Teen
irg women are in imminent peril from
the Epildest phase Of the fever. When
II sesms to be cured its consequences
arc hazardous. Children, TO whom it
is mainly confined, of course, are sub
ject u ter a severe attack to permanent
ill-hralth and to some of the many
forn4s Of chronic scrofula, as shown by
boils, sores behind the ear, inhamma-
ton of the eyes, giandular swellings
and strumous ulcers. Scarlatina Is
often followed by peculiar dropsy,
affecting the simultaneous cellular It's
sues and larger Serious cavities II oc-
ours, like all the exanthemata, as an
pidc2nic-sometime in very mild,
sometimes in very virulent types. In
the simple variety, remaining within
doors nOn~stimulating diet and regula-
ton ,4-the bowels are generally found
sufficient. in the second variety,
ieeches, often employed, especially
whcrr delirium supcrvenes. The two
principal sources of danger in the
malignant variety are from the primary
etlectOf the contagious poison upon
the bS'dy and from gangrenous ulcera-
ton Gf the throat The final result is
always uncertain. Whether it is con
taglous throughout it's course or ut
one period alone, has never been as
certatned; but that the power of con
tagiOn remains in clothing, furniture
etc, Il unquestioned and inquest on
able"