Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-01-10


tas.. which is mos, liabl" TO attack
children under ten years OF af'
Grown persons may. indeed. contract
the disease, but hey are not 80 labie
to do so As are children. Tn" dis
case appears with varying degrees or
severity: it may cause the death OF
the child within Il day. or II may b"
so mild that the child does not Eel
sick enough to go TO bed. But, be II
mild OF severe. ii is the same disease.
and often NAV assume a NEST virul
cnt form in a person who has be- II
exp0sed 10 very mild case. The
mildcr forms of the disease are some
times called SCaraiatina, or Scarlet
Rash but these names should dPcelN"
no one: the disease is Scarlet Fever.
and tn. final suits to the patient or
to The immunity may b" as serious
IS those from the worst forms or the
disease One attack of Scarlet Fever
usually protects the patient from fur
;h,r attacks.
IS /.nptoms Of Scarlet Fever.
The frs, symptoms Of scarlet few
or are usually slight fever or chill.
the child may complain of headache
or Dackitut. "ltllIn q lNN h''i ~
throat may b come sore. Vomiting Is
one of the commOnest of the early
symptoms in children. The fever may
90 very high within few hours.
Within twelve Or twenty-fOur hours
the rash begins to appear. II SHOWS
earliest upon the neck. and under
the collar bones. gradually spreading
over the tcdy The color of tn"
crnp,i ion NAV var. and only a phySlc-
ian of experience should be relied on
to make a diagnosis of scarlet fever.
"How Scarlet Fever Originates.
An cases of scarlet fever come.
directly CT indirectly. from some pre-
vious cases of the disease. just as
crop of wheat can only come from
seed wheat. Hog pens, filth. sewer
gas and the like can lover the gen
aral tone of the health of commuhi
". but they cannot cause scarlet few.
er unless there is previous case o:
the disease. by which II may be
spread. Although no one has yet dis
covered the germ of scarlet fever
there is little doubt but that such
germ. causes the disease: and. when
the germ is al length found. the fsht
TO stamp out the disease Will be much
easier.
THE spread OF scarlet fever is due.
in every instance. to carelessness. II
nroner precautions were taken. and
if suitable quarantine m. assures were
adopted this disease would disappear
from the earth. The contact OF
healthy children with other children
who have recently had. scarlet IeEer
in some form causes the spread OF
the disease. The exact manner o!
contagion is ret fully understood. blu,
until that has been aScsrtained. al
quarantine regulations should be baS
ed upon the theory that contact. III
r. ct or indirect. spreads the disease
If a we'll child in any manner comes
in contact with the discharge from
tho nose throat, eyes or ears of a
child suffering with scarlet fever. tne
well child will probably CONTRACT me
disease. Even indirect contact may
be equally dangerous. child WIN
scarlet fever may. while ."ri'ihe'
place a pencil In its mouth. and
healthy child. using the same pencil
NAV contract the disease. Even
clio; hing. TOYS. books and the Ike.
which have been used hE tn" SICK
child NAV spread scarlet fever TO
the well child who has not been near
the sick chill. Fortunately. this IS
not a universal rule. and The exception
TO il have often led people to dis
regard all quarantine regulations.
Such disregard is usually paid for IN
numerous and frequently. in fatai
cases of the disease.
While scarlet fever does not al
WAYS result fatally. its effects are
generally most serious Som" I'M
will aprcar in the child even when
The disease its If has disappeared.
Complete da1fncss no: infreauen'iy
follows directly upon scarlet fever.
Nor are these injuries always al
once manifC Il: sometimes years may
elapsc l"fcre they appear. For OK
ample. large number OF severe
cas- of kidney and hear: ahectiohs-
Appearing IN adults. result from cases
of scarlet fever in childhood ines
drcaa after cfec's can follow even
he mildpsr forms OF the disease.
hence !. il mover safe 10 expose a
child To scarlet fever. in the hope that
/. win have a mild attack and will
then b. immune There is no reason
yhv the child should ever have the
disease. Exposure 10 mild case
NAV result in a fata, Illness or in life
long injury to the child exposed.
Quarantine Measures.
Unless means are taken TO com
Ia. scarlet fever when " appears IN
a community. II may sprSad rapidly
and do incaIcuIab'" damage IN short
time The measures necessary 70
check tho disease are troublesome"
bnt they are triEins >Sared win
the danger 10 the community. and
will saw. mich greater trouble and
suffering. without great expense.
The absolute isolation Of every
suspicious csse IL the first essential
70 combat scarlet fever. The SICK
y, rson shouId DO placed at once in