Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-04
INCREASE OF DIPHTHERIA.
Health OMcer w. c. Woodward Dis
cusses the Causes.

There Is no doubt" said DR. VIM q
Woodward. the District health officer. to q
Star reporter today, that there is a large
number OF cases OF diphtheria in the Dis
trict today, nor can 1t be denied that the
number is much greater than it was at the
corresponding period of last year. One
year ago today the number of cases in the
District was forty-four. Yesterday the
number was los. an increase Of more than
200 per cent. The cases existing yesterday
were distributed among seventy-niDe
places, while those a year ago TODAY We're
located in thirty-six different places The
highest number of cases during the fiscal
Der, 1896
1T is difficult" continued DR.. Woodward
ito definitely account for this larg, in
crease in the number of diphtheria cases.
although the disease s>enerally begins TO
Increase in August or September and
reaches its highest point in November. De
cember or January. In some years the
highest number has been reached as early
as October At present the majority of
cases is among the poorer classes, while
IN some years the greatest number of cases
mas been found among people of means
here is perhaps one explanation of the
increase in the number of cases over the
n6ufeS recorded in years previous and
that Is mat cases are now shown TO be
diphtheria that heretofore We're classed as
merely sore throat or tcnsi,its or croup
of course the increase in the number of
cases has brought about an increase in the
number Of deaths, and there is no doubt
lh3t there are today in the District moro
cases of diphtheria than We ought To have
plphtheria is contagious" explained DR.
Woodward. the disease being sprpad hy
one case producing another, and so on. Ig-
norance and Careiessness are in many in
starces responsible for the Increase of
cases. and this is true more particularly of
CT urse. among the poor and ignorant class
eS Know Of one instance where 1--WE chill
dfen We're III before a physician was called
in. one of the children being 50 III that II
died the same day the doctor called
Parents should not hesitate a moment
Whera the sickness of a child is of a srs-
picious nature, but should have a physician
at TIE earliest moment possible. Then, the
greatest care possible should be taken to
at once Isolate the patient from the rest of
the household.
The opening of the schools generally
n ears an increase CT the disease. due
probably. to the association of large Chi
dTen, which is closer than during vacation
Every case should be al once reported 10
the nealth office, with all information con-
corning it.
Just now the disease is most prevalent
among the poorer classes of Georgetown
and Southwest Washington. ana because e
their poverty and ignorance, in ali prob
ability. While il is about settled thar bad
sanitary conditions do not ia themselves
cause diphtheria, Yet such conditions nm
GoLbteGly increases tie number OF cases
the reason oeing that had sanitary condi-
tons sap the vitality and in that way re-
duce The resisting row5r Ct thcsn subjected
to infection.
I'VE are doing all we possibly can in the
matter. and, while we are Handicapped To
a very great extent because of the limited
authority of tho health department but
three new cases were reported today and
as that many cases terminated today there
Is no increase since YESTERDAY"