The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-30
MEASLES EPIDEMIC
IS NOW PREDICTION
HEALTH OFFICER DR. LEVY CALLS
ATTENTION TO vERY SERIOUS
SITUATION.
FORMER PREDICTION
1T WAS REGARDED As REMARK
ABLE, BUT HE DECLARES THE
CONDITIONS NOW WORSE
THAN THEN.

On the goth day of February, 1910.
DR.. f. C. Levy, chief health officer of
the city of Richmond. issued a warn
ing to the public and also sent out a
circular letter to every physician
in the city Of Richmond stating that
an epidemic OF measles was about to
begin In this city. There were at that
time only six cases Of this disease In
Richmond, but the epidemic came
promptly, as predicted, 343 cases be-
ing reported In the month of March
and over 2,300 being reported during
tho course Of the epidemic.
So far as II known, this was the
first instance in which an epidemic of
any contagious disease was predicted
in advance, and a good deal of inter-
est was aroused among santtarians by
this piece of work.
According to DR.. Levy, another
epidemic of measles is about to be-
gin. There are at the present time
only eleven cases of this disease In
Richmond. but everything points to
a great and immediate increase In the
number Of cases. 1t Is well that ev-
eryone should know a few important
facts In connection with measles. Con-
trary to the popular belief, and, in
deed. to the opinion held by most ply
sicians, measles Is by long odds the
most serious of all eruptive fevers OF
infancy and childhood, SO far as Rich
mond statistics go.
Worse Than Scarlet Fever.
For example, scarlet fever, which Ia
so much more dreaded, has caused
but Ave deaths in Richmond in the
past five years, while during the same
period there have been eighty-three
deaths from measles. Measles Is
moreover. the most contagious of all
diseases known In this climate. The
slightest contact In, apparently, sui
ficient to cause this disease in one
who has not been protected from a
previous attack. The severity Of the
disease varies considerably from yea:
to year. and this latter statement Is
true only OF the severer type. Cases
which nave been reported to the
Richmond health department in the
past two days are of this highly con-
tagicus form.
The eruption in this disease appears
with almost mathematical regularity.
fourteen days after exposure, but the
Illness really begins several days be-
fore the eruption appears. The early
symptoms are Inflammation and wa
tering Of the eyes and nose. These
symptoms are commonly mistaken for
an ordinary coid They appear usu-
ally about nine days after exposure.
that Is, about Ave days before the
eruption comes on During these Ave
days any child. II he 10 developing
the disease. Ii capable OF giving It to
othera Since II IL not known during
these Ave days that we are dealing
with measles. these cases frequently
are not excluded from schoolsor Sun
day school. This was the way in
which the Richmond health depart
ment found measles to spread dur
ing the epidemic of 1910.
Use Every Prccaution.
According to DIR. Levy. the present
situation Is one which should arouse
the most earnest attention OF the ply
sicians and people of Richmond. A.
stated above. the epidemic of 1910
began on the 1st day of March and
lasted until midsummer. Appearing
as early As this In the winter Is de-
cidedly unfavorable.
Every mother should learn TO re-
gard with suspicion every case OF
infiamed eyes and running nose In her
children. and. II these symptoms APP
pear. the child suffering from them
should be Immediately kept from
mingling with other children; either
in the house or outside. until the fam
lily physician has seen the case and
passed on IL AS stated above. IL these
symptoms are really early. symptoms
measles. the case is highly contagiou.
at this time. although the eruption
Will probably not appear for four or
FIVE days.