The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-13
MANY CHILDREN
ARE AILING
Contagious Diseases Among
Little Folks Show Alarm
ing Increase.
SO. CHICAGO AFFECTED
District Between 18th and S4th, the
Lake and Manistee Avenue,
Storm Center.
Especial to Lake County Times.l


South Chicago. Aug. 1S.-Contagious
diseases among children have shown
an alarming increase during the past
week according to the weeks record.
and according 10 1t. that portion OF
South Chicago bounded on the north BY
Seventy-ninth street; on the east by
Lake Michigan; on the south by Eigh-
ty-fourth street and on the west by
Manistee avenue. the disease especially
scarlet fever. are most marked
Other districts OF South Chicago are
also seriously affected and strenuous
efforts are being made to check the
growth of the contagion before the end
OF the school vacation. Special warn
ings have been issued to the parents to-
gether with instructions for prevent-
ing and lighting them.
The weekly bulletin OF the health
department. for last week says:
The situation is so ominous for the
forthcoming school year that every ef-
fort is being made by the division OF
contagious diseases to stamp out con-
tagion and improve sanitary conditions
before the opening OF the schools
Special attention has been paid to
scarlet fever during the last twelve
months. because fifty years record of
this disease in this city indicates that
one Of its characteristic epidemic waves
has set in, which may not entirely sub
side for four or five years to come.
These epidemic waves are due to
accumulations of susceptible individ-
nails during the periods of decreasing
frequency OF this disease.
THE department watches the reports
of infectious diseases by a system of
colored tacks placed on the map of the
CITY, showing at a glance the develop
ments of local epidemics. It is thus
forewarned and enabled to investigate
promptly any threatened outbreak. The
water and milk supplies and the gem
eral sanitary condition are thus under
constant surveillance.
'Prophylaxis against scarlet fever is
essentially the problem OF isolation OF
the patient during the whole period Of
sickness and desquamation. combined
with the utmost cleanliness and dis
Infection during and after the termina-
tion CT the case. Inaaequafe isolation
alaassinE the patent while stili IN
an infectious state to aseocfafe witt
susceptible persons in the home or out
side-is unquestionably the principal
factor in the extension OF epidemics
And this follows IN many cases because
/ the sickroom in the average city apart
ment becomes as irksome as a prison
long before the necessary six or seven
weeks confinement is past. If the pa
tient has not an ideal room, with plenty
of light and good ventilation, and with
equable heat in cold weather. and a
wise attendant, he ought to be taken to
a hospital.
Parents should locate the infected
family and keep their children away
from them. and especially from any or
the children of the families, and should
not visit them themselves.
During the danger period parents
| should also carefully watch their chill
dren for any suspicious symptoms, such
as sore throat, feverishness, headache,
sudden vomiting, rash, croupy cough.
clogging OF the nostrils. and swelling
about the neck. Some OF these symp-
toms indicate diphtheria; others inoi-
cate scarlet fever or scarletina-
When any of them appear in a child
living in an infected neighborhood, the
child should be cared for at once.
THE health department Groom 4, city
hall; telephone, AT Mann should also
be notified so that it may give any
needed assistance
These warnings are distributed by
the department inspectors, but most ef-
fcctively by police officers, whose uni
forms carry great weight with those
whom it is desired TO reach.