The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1912-11-15
DlPHIRfklA LOSES
MJCHOf IFS HORROR
II Modern Methods Are Promptly and
Carefully Employed, Says Georgia
State Board of Health.

dlphtnerla of today and that of TWEEN
" years ago are two very different
propositions, says the Georgia State
Board of Health in a current bulletin,
1t must be remembered that the eff
ficiency of modern methods in reduc.
ing It's death rate and in preventing
| its spread, depend upon promptness
and care as to detail in their appli-
cation.
Prompt diagnosis and speedy use of
diphtheretic antitoxin where the infEc-
ton is found, are the material factors
in reducing the death rate; isolation
of patients and disinfection of every
thing coming from their rooms, are
equally important factors in prevent
! ing its spread. But these factors,
particularly the antitoxin, have taken
dipththeria out of the chamber of
horrible diseases, not only lessening
the probability of contagion, but re-
ducing the number of deaths from it,
from As TO 80 down to Z to 10 in ev-
cry 100 cases. Where diagnosis is
prompt and the antitoxin is admins
tered before the disease gains any
Roadway, the mortality is practically
eliminated
Diphtheria is a germ disease The.
germs attack the nose and throat and
form membrane. They rarely at
tack any other part of the body
Where the germs attack the tonsils
1t is known simply as dipththeria;
where the membrane forms in the
nostrils, it is nasal diphtheria; when
1t forms in the windpipe it is mem
| branous Group, the dreaded and most
dangerous form because it cuts off
air from the lungs. The germs, ap-
pearing in some portion of the nose
or throat and forming membrane, give
Off poison that soon finds its way
through the system. The germs null
tiply i'll the throat very rapidly; mill
ions of them may be formed in few
hours.
Diphtheria manifests itself within
three or four days after the patient
has been exposed to the disease. The
| patient complains of sore throat which
grows worse, then fever appears.
| Sometimes sickness at the stomach
and vomiting are among the first
| symptoms, and in membranous Group
| the first symptom may be hoarse,
harsh cough or actual and prolonged
| difficulty in breathing. These symp-
toms should be carefully and closely
watched; when there is diphtheria in
| the neighborhood even a slight sore
! throat should be carefully examined,
| for it may be diphtheretic. The only
| safe plan is to consult physician at
once, for often an hours delay in
creases the danger, particularly from
membranous Group.
Mild cases are equally dangerous
when 1t comes to spreading the infec-
ton. Accurate diagnosis is import
ant, and modern methods-the use of
| the steriliZed throat swab from which
culture is produced-make this cas-
| lily possible. The prompt isolation of
the infected patient should follow
in sunny pleasant room, if possible
and only the nurse and attending
| physician permitted to enter.
Prompt injection Of the antitoxin is
essential. This antitoxin is made,
from the serum from a horse into
which diphtheria poison has been in
jected, and it counteracts the poisons
! In the human system.
The State Board of Health manu-.
| features this antitoxin and distrib-
utes it free of cost for use by recog-
nized physicians. Your physician will
know how to get it when it is needed.
The isolation of the patient must
be continued until all germs have dis
appeared from the throat Every arti-
Gle taken from the room during ILL
ness must be thoroughly disinfected
| by methods indicated by the physi-
clan, and the room itself must be
carefully disinfected when the pa
tents recovery is complete
| In practically all cases where the
/ diphtheria antitoxin is given the first
! day, the patients recover Where
it is not given until the second day,
/ about five in 100 die. DELAYED until
/ the third day, about % in 100 die.
! Given promptly, antitoXin saves near
/
many, but not all But having reduc-
ed the mortality from so per cent. to
| less than 10 per cent, it stands to rea-
| son that anyone who fails to admin
! lister antitoxin in cases of diphtheria
! is throwing away the patients
! chances of recovery.
Diphtheria is principally a disease
of childhood, although 1t may and Of
ten does appear in adults; age con-
stitutes no protection. In 1858
cases reported by Ellington in New
York, 1,214 occurred in children un-
der one year of age, and 1922 in chill
dren of one to FIVE years of age.
Diphtheria is extremely contagious
aud may be conveyed in various
ways BY contact with a person suf-
fering from 1t; by contact with a per-
son who has been exposed to it but
who has not developed it: by con-
| tact with some article which has been
in contact with. or proximity to
person with the disease, or by drink
ing or eating something that has been
infected with the germs. No precau-
ton should be overlooked when there