The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-05

The outlook for q decrease in tho
death rate from typhoid fever Tor the
year 1911 over all preceding years
10 very bright. according to DIR. c.
c. Hudson. medical inspector OF the
city health department.
Discussing the matter yesterday.
DIR. Hudson said:
Last month closed with sixteen
cases Of typhoid fever on hand.
against twenty-three cases for No
vembcr Of last year. The total num-
Der Of deaths from typhoid fever to
date Is twenty-one-four less than for
the corresponding period OF 1910.
During December. 1910. there were
three deaths from the disease. II
no more deaths occur In December
OF this year than during December.
1910, the death rate from typhoid
fever In Richmond will ba little
over eighteen per 100000 rate
never before reached by any regis
tration city in the South"
Well Under Control.
Scarlet fever is well under con-
though some trouble was threatened
during October.
In a discussion of this disease, he
said:
Scarlet fever, which threatened
some trouble during October, has
been controlled. There were NIFTY
one cases in the city on the first Of
Novemb Der. but through the co-opera-
ton OF the physicians OF the city its
spread has been checked. At the
present time there are only eighteen
cases Of scarlet fever In the city.
Diphtherta Prevalent.
RA~nrdiuv dtuhth arfa DR. Hudson
had this to say:
"Diphtheria II the disease which IL
most prevalent at the present time.
October. November. December and
January are the four diphtheria
months. We are now. therefore, at
tho height OF the diphtheria season,
and every precaution is being taken
to protect the children OF the city
from this disease. Diphtheria IL
spread by direct contact in . large
part Of the cases and a large num-
Der OF people become carriers Of
diphtheria germs without ever hav-
inE q sore throat. This fact makes
II very hard to control the spread of
the disease except In those cases In
which 1t il severe enough for a ply
stefan to be called.
There Arc Three Types.
, There are three types OF diph-
therta--naaal, tonsilIar and laryngeal.
Nasal diphther!a IL usually very mild.
charge. nosebleed. and. frequently. .
mild fever. This may continue for
weeks before a physician II called.
Most OF the cases OF nasal diphtheria
recover without Antitoxin. especially
II they occur IN older children. Ton
sillar diphtheria " more severe. 1t
begins with . sore throat and Is ac-
companied by the formation OF q
wife patch located on the tonsils.
soft palate or pharynx. Laryngeal
diphtheria (mem branous croup) Is
the most severe type of the disease,
II begins with q hoarse. dry. brassy
cough. There IL no fever as a rule.
but breathing becomes difficult and
gradually progresses until the OBJ
structfon becomes SO complete that
the child chokes to death II not re-
lteved. II taken IN time. we have
In antitoxin a sure cure for every
case Of diphtheria.
Idea u False.
Many Intelligent people believe
that antitoxin II liable to cause
II utterly failacious. The cases in
which death II usually attributed to
antitoxin are those that are allowed
to 30 without antitoxin until the sys-
tenn 10 80 thoroughly impregnated
with the toxins OF tbs disease that
Antitoxin cannot be expected to cure
them. After receiving treatment such
cases die--as they would have done
had antitoxin not been administered.
The death 10 then attributed to the
effects Of antitoxin. Any case OF
diphtheria. II taken in time can be
cured by a dose or two of antitoxin.
Knowing this. everyone should call
physician early In any case Of sore
throat. so that the child may be cured
without danger Of paralysis or other
troubles which are liable to follow
an attack Of dtphtheria-'