The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-29
MEASLES WAVE
THREATENS CITY
Warning Issued by DR.. E. {.
Levy Predicts Repetition of
Epidemic Of 1910.
FORECAST WAS VERIFIED
Similar Warning in February,
1910, Was Followed by
1900 Recorded Cases.

From the ONCE Of DR.. f. C. Levy
chief health officer of the city OF Rfch-
mond. came the warning yesterday
that the city is in imminent Danger
OF an epidemic of measles, advance
indications pointing to repetition OF
the epidemic Of 1910. when $500 cases
We're reported before the scourge was
nut down The warning comes WIN
peculiar significance in the light OF
a similar warning which heralded the
epidemic Of 1910.
On February 20, OF that year. Dr.
Levy warned the public of the ap-
proach Of the disease and sent cir
cular letters to every physician In the
city stating his belief that the city
was in for an epidemic Of measles. AT
that time there were just six cases OF
the disease in the city. The epidemic
came promptly as predicted and In the
single month of March. SiS cases were
reported TO the Health Department BE-
fore the situat on was Onoer con-
troll the number had increased to p
300
The prediction and the prompthess
with which it was substantiateo was
the subject Of much comment among
sanitarians It's repetition yesterday
carries with It, therefore. the weight
Of authority and will cause extraoF-
binary preventive measures to be IN
stituted at once.
Some Measles Data.
According to DIR. Levy. the measie
wave is imminent despite the fact shat
the Health Department knows OF only
imminisen tdespitet heactthat wave1
eleven cases in the city. Contrary TO
the popular belief. he said yester-
day, measles is by long odds the most
serious Of all eruptive revers OF m
fancy and childhood. 50 far as Rich
mond statistics 60
For example" said DR.. Levy. scar
let fever which is much more dreaded
has caused but five deaths in Richmond
in the past FIVE years, while curing
the same period there have been
eighty-three deaths from measles
The disease is the most contagious
known in this climate. The sHght-
est contact, apparently. IS sufcient 10
cause this disease in one who has not
been protected by d previous attack-
The early symptoms are 'nham-
nation and watering Of the eyes ana
nose luese symptoms are commonly
mistaken for an ordinary cold. fney
appear usually about nine days after
exposure, that IS. about five days be-
fore the eruption comes on During
these five days any child. II ne Is de-
veioping the disease. is capable OF CIV
ing II to others. Unless the disease
has been recognized, children thus az
fected are not excluded from schoo!
and become thus sources of fresh In
lection. This was the way the cpl
deulic spread in 1910"
Every mother, said DR. levy, should
regard with suspicion each case OF In
famed eyes am running nose w men
these symptoms appear. he said, the
child should be Immediately isolated
and submitted to an examination by a
physician II they are really early
SYMPTOMS of measles the case is at
this stage highly contagious, although
the eruption will probably not appear
for four Or five days.
According TO DR.. Levy the present
situation is one which should arouse
the earnest attention Of the PHYSICIANS
and people OF Richmond. As already
stated the epidemic of 1910 began on
March ! and lasted until mids UTn!n"r-
The situation is regarded as all the
more grave this year because Of the
Indications that the epidemic viii make
its appearance during the early win
ter months