Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-08
CITY PHYSICIAN
GIVES 4 REPORT
ON DIPHTHERIA
DR.. G. G. Craig Declares Epi-
demic Will Follow Unless
Warnings Are Needed.
FOUR DEATHS IN OCTOBER
Says State Supply of Anti-Toxin Failed
in Several cases-Wants
Situation Remedied.

There were 10 cases of diphtheria
and four deaths in this city during
the month OF October. according to a
special report submitted TO Commits
sion Archie Hart today by DR.. G. c.
Craig. city physician. He declares this
dread disease will become epidemic
unless the warnings OF the health de-
partment are needed.
According to DR.. Craig in number
OF recent deaths from diphtheria the
state supply of anti-toxin failed. He
advocates that the police station be
made the distributing station for the
anti-toxin. His report follows:
On Oct > the health department,
through the newspapers. issued a warn
ing against diphtheria, stating that an
epidemic was feared. At that time
there were but two cases reported. but
three cases were discovered that day
which had not been reported TO us. AS
diphtheria was generally prevalent
throughout the state, and the danger
Gus disease was being handled so care
lessly, the warning was issued. Dur
ing October there were 10 cases with
four deaths. So far in November there
have been already five cases and one
death.
roo PREVALENT JUST NOW.
The following facts are important:
81 Diphtheria is too prevalent in |
Rock Island al the present time.
90 II has caused too many deaths |
here lately.
90 This dread disease will become /
epidemic and cause more deaths If
the repeated warnings of the health
department are not needed.
90 The free state board of health
anti-toxin system is radically wrong.
as at present conducted This has
been frequently pointed out in my re-
ports
80 In some cases the doctor is call
ed too late. This was the cause of
Heath in two cases recently.
90 Neither the druggists nor the ,
physicians keep on hand supplies of ,
iiphtheria anti-toxin. as they formerly {
lid. I myself discontinued keep {
ng a private supply here when !
furnished anti-toxin costing $36 ]
o a family of several children who i
would have died. as. one of them I
lad died, without il, and the father of :
hese children whose lives were saved {
las never paid a cent for it, A mis- I
,uided charity worker has done harm
nd slanderous article issued by the |
illinois state board of health, Doctors
telling Free Anti-toxin,' a political ar
icle that is absolutely false. has also
one harm. Under such circumstances
either physicians nor druggists can $
e expected 10 handle diphtheria anti {
oxin. In the following recent deaths I
rom diphtheria the state supply here II
allied: Mrs Charles Wells. 1897 For I,
y-second street: Glenn Hicks 1924 :
thirteenth avenue: Dick Warnock, T
sol Sixth avenue: Vera Couchman, n
+0S Sixth avenue: Clarence Jasper, O
los Fourteenth avenue: Minnie Mohl II
SIC Fifth avenue, and Leroy Temple, Z,
ZIG Fifth avenue. @
% The present distributing sta b
on for the state supply is at a drug
ore. II ii were al the police station
lie anti-toxin could be readily obtained "
any hour. and line could be kept
pom the careless physicians.
WHEN TO SUSPECT DIPHTHERIA
quote from a previous report: :
is again issued against dfph- a,
eria. II a child has a sore. red n,
rcat. or covered with whitish dots or :,
reaks of membrane. a physician N
Iould be called at once Early treat 81
ent OF diphtheria not only removes n,
g danger OF sunocating from the No
owth OF membrane in the larynx, but or
axes less probable the occurrence of =
ralysis that is often such a distress 4
g sequel of tardily treated diph- ii
eris. This. the most fatal epidemic u
sease OF childhood, by the right use
anti-toxin, can be prevented in a
rye measure. and in time be abolish ="
.a,,sa -, ,Jaatb ;, no