Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-14
Mistellaneons 8raaiua.
MEASLES AND WHooPING COUGH
Discussed In a Bulletin BY the State
Board of Health.

The state board of health has issued
a bulletin on measles and whooping
cough from which the following ex-
tracts are taken:
Measles and whooping cough con-
trary to the general belief in the
minds Of the laity, are by no means
] trivial diseases, and it Is our hope in
this bulletin to correct to some extent,
at least, this erroneous impression.
| Quite frequently do we hear intelli-
gent parents expressing a wish that
their children would contract measles
and whooping cough and get through
| with them, seeming to think that 1t Is
necessary for their children to have
these diseases, and the earlier in life
they are contracted, the easier 1t will
be for the children.
| No more erroneous impression could
possess the mind Of any person, for the
mortality of these diseases in the
young children is exceedingly high to
say nothing of the danger Frequently
permanent and otter leading to seri-
Gus and fatal diseases) done to the
bodies of these little patients.
1t Is indeed striking to contrast the
terror and dread brought about in a
community by the report Of a case of
smallpox with that of the report Of
either measles or whooping cough, and
| yet mortuary statistics show that for
every death certificate issued for
smallpox more than fifty are issued
| for whooping cough, and about that
number for measles.
We have at this time a splendid op-
portunity to note this contrast, for we
are in the midst of a widespread cpl
demic of smallpox, and our whole Of
| flee force Is kept busy answering In
quiries and endeavoring to allay the
fears and apprehension Of an anxious
people; the state Is spending large
sum of money in an effort to suppress
the disease, in addition to that being
spent by the various counties and
municipalities-all Of this for a disease
which can be easily prevented-the
prevention of which is entirely within
the hands Of any individual, and yet
not q word do we hear about measles
and whooping cough, diseases which
are exacting q toll In human life one
hundred times greater than smallpox
and against which we have no immu-
| mixing remedy.
We would not have it understood
that we are complaining Of the cry
against smallpox-for quite the con-
trary is the case, but we do feel that a
greater cry should go up against other
preventabie diseases, always in our
midst, which cause more deaths an
nually than has smallpox for whole
generation.
Measles.
Measles Is an epidemic, contagious
disease, more widely prevalent than
any other ruption fever, and but few
persons reach adult life without con-
tracing it. It Is highly contagious,
even from the beginning of the stage
of invasion, and nearly all suscepti-
BILE persons who become exposed con-
tract it. One attack usually confers
immunity, though there are instances
of persons having 1t the second and
even the third time.
The period Of incubation-that Is the
period from the time a person Is ex-
posed until symptoms Of the disease
appear-is from nine to seventeen
days, the average time being from
eleven to fourteen days. The period OF
invasion lasts from three to four days,
when the eruption appears. The erup-
ton lasts from four to six days, when
1t begins to fade, the fading being fol-
lowed by a fine-brain-like desquama-
ton which is, as a rule, complete In
about a week.
Cause.
The true cause Of measles, as Is the
case in several of the contagious dis
eases, is as yet unknown. 1t is gener-
ally believed to be due to q micro or
ganism, but no specific organism mas
vet been isolated. 1t Is, however,
known that whatever the curative
agent may be, it possesses remarkable
powers of diffusion, and Is easily and
readily transmitted from the patient to
those who have not had the disease.
contasiousness.
Measles is one of the most highly
contagious of all diseases, and as al
ready stated, but few persons reach
adult life without contracting 1t. very
young nursing infants are not so sus-
ceptible to measles, but all other chill
dren are extremely susceptible.
The disease Is usually spread by d.
rect contagion. The possibility of its
being spread through the agencies OF
clothing, fomites and the medium OF a
third person is so rare that they need
not be regarded. While the disease
spreads by direct contagion, dlrect
contact and even close proximity to a
its transmission, for person enter
ing the room where a patient Is con-
fined with the disease Is likely to con-
tract 1t.
Period of contasion.
The period of contagion Of measles
is much shorter than scarlet fever
the average duration being placed at
three weeks. This will, of course, vary
with the severity of the disease and
the complications that may arise. Ihe
disease Is communicable from the very
outset of the symptoms until desqua-
nation is complete, though its COM
municability diminishes very rapidly
with the fading of the eruption and
the subsidence of the catarrhal symp-
toms. AS a general rule, three weeks
may be regarded as a safe period to
keep patients isolated.
Symptoms.
The general public Is perhaps more
familiar with the symptoms or measles
than any other disease, and we 1eei II
only necessary here to call attention
to the earlier symptoms, the recognl-
ton of which Is essential in preventing
the spread of the disease. The onset
of measles, as a rule, gradual, and In
the absence of the disease in the COM
munity. or a known exposure, would
most probably be mistaken for a Sc
we're cold. Usually the first symptoms
are sneezing, discharge from the nose,
redness of the eyes, increased lachry-
nation (watery eyes) sensitiveness OF
the eyes to light, and a hoarse, hard
cough, fever, headache, backache and
the general symptoms of malalse are
more or less constantly present. Drows-
mess is also a frequent symptom.
Sore throat may be complained OF,
and small red spots are frequently seen
upon the palate, but much more re-
liable, and one of the early signs OF
the disease is the small, pearly white
spots upon the mucous membrane OF
the cheek, known as Koplik's sign.
On the third or fourth day the erup:-
ton usually appears-showing itselt;
first behind the ears, on the neck and
at the root of the hair on the forehead.
and then gradually spreads over the
entire body. There is little dificulty |
in recognizing the disease at this stage,
if it is typical, though there are in
stances i'm which it is very difficult to
differentiate measles from scarlet fe-
ver and parents should always keep
this in mind.