Milford chronicle., 1908-02-28
Is It Scarlet Fever?
Editor Of the Chronicle,
My Dear Sir:

My Dear Sir
In the Chronicle OF February 14th l
showed from unquestiOned medical
authority that our present epidemic is
Rotheln, and now I wish, briefly, to
develop the negative aspect, showing
it is not Scarlet Fever.
We must have before us in such q
discussion a typical case Of Scarlet
Fever, that comparisons may be insti
tuted in symptOmatOlOgy and sequel@.
To such a case the temperature would
range from lO3 to 1O6, continuing for a
week, with gradual cessation; vomiting,
appearance of rash, angina, infiamed
and enlarged lymphatics, with marked
prOstratiOn. This is not an Overdrswn
picture, and yet these symptoms have
not characterized our epidemic at all,
not single case has reached in severity
the character and dignity OF typical"
much less malignant or anginOse.
have personal knowledge Of fifteen or
more cases in the town and vicinity,
several without rise of temperature, in
the worst cases fever continuing but a
day, and every case convalescent in
three days or less. No adenitis, no sup
purating ears, no dropsy no paralysis, no
complication. In fifty cases (estimated)
not death, not a dangerous or serious
illness, not a sequel many of the chill
dren not even going to bed, playing
throughout the entire attack. Now isn't
this an unusual Scarlet Fever? So IN.
usual that those designating it by the
term invariably use, spOlogetically, the
qualifying prefix "mild," bottle Of
castor oil relieving the entire epidemic
A week from last Saturday morning
Mr.. Fred. Ritter, living near Cedar
Creek Mills, came into my office stating
that the fifth case Of this trouble had
developed in his family, and requested
me to prescribe. 1 had previous knOwl-
edge Of the other cases. gave him a
simple aperient and the case passed
from my mind. The next day in the
evening, Sunday, 1 had occasion for
visiting Mrs. Ritter, and while there l
said to a sturdy boy of IA in front OF me,
"wbere is your brother who is sick ?'
He replied, "I'm the boy see the break
ing out on my face?" I'm not sick
though; 1 worked all day yesterday,
and have skated all this afternoon on
the pond there, over in that field - and
he had on his person then a typical
Rotheln lash bright, cheerful, happy
and well as he was; and this is but
characteristic Of many Of the cases.
must now refer to the Ryan family
because of the nOtoriety the cases have
assumed. On January 10th 1 was called
at 10 o. m. to see the oldest daughter,
about IA years OF age l found her with
slight fever, and an eruption appear.
ing over her face and person. I pro
nounced the case ROtheln and treasured
and encouraged her. Next morning L
called and found the eruption fully de-
veloped and the temperature normal.
The morning Of the third day l dis
missed her, cOnvalescent, and no COM
plications have followed. The night l
made the first call there were present
in the room two pale, delicate, strum
GUS looking little children and l called
them to me and examined them. There
was adenitis in both Of them, the glands
under the jaws were decidedly enlargedi
and the tonsils were so hypertrOphied
that they extended across the pharynx,
suspending the soft palate, mass of
puss and bacteria. urged immediate
amputation but the parents would not
consent. In this miserable physical
condition, all the children Dursed, and
the family virtually living, In the one
small room, the second child developed
the disease eight days after the first,
aHd the third one two days later, and
both went on to an uneventiul recovery
in three days from the initiation. So
mild were the cases that 1 had not the
slightest sense Of fear as to the conse-
ouences, not one Of them seriously i'll
at any time.
Four days after the dismissal Of the
last Of these cases DR.. Lowber appeared,
Secretary of the State Board Of Health
at some ones solicitation, and with not
go much as "by your leave" or even
notifying me Of his presence, accom-
panied by another physician, visited
the family. By the one symptom OF
desquamation, upon the last case, dag
nosed Scarletina, without a history OF
the epidemic or knowledge Of the acute
phases Of the disease. He had legal
., e. c,.--t.A UNo,,ar 20 l,a did