The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-12

The prediction regarding a measles
epidemic which Was made by DR.. f.
c. Levy. chief health officer. in Mo-
vember. has come true. as did his
similar prediction In February. 1910.
During the last week there have been
reported to the Richmond health de-
parrment 262 cases of measles. One
death mas been thus rar reported TINS
year.
The disease Is distributed through
out the city, but there are certain
localities in which the cases are es-
pectahy numerous; namely, in the
West End, in and around Seventeenth
street and In the neighborhood of
Ninth and Cambridge streets IN the
old city OF Manchester,
AS in the 1910 epioemic, the dis
ease in the present instance has been
found TO spread largely through
schools and sunday schools while
considerable impetus was given to
the spread during the present epi-
dsmic through various Christmas en-
tertainments. The Seventeenth street
cases, for example. are practically all
the result of a Sunday-Echool enter
tatnment given in Christmas week.
Il wish to take this opportunity"
said DIR. Levy "of again calling the
attention OF the public to the presence
OF q measles epidemic and to the sig
nificance of this disease. | believe
that | can do this In no better man
ner than by making public a special
circular which l have prepared for
distribution in the homes OF chill
dren attending schools in which
measles has made it's appearance"
The circular to which DR.. Levy re-
ferred reads as follows.
Measles Is the most serious or all
eruptive fevers of infancy and child
hood in our climate. The disease Ia
the most contagious Of all known dis
eases. The history Of measles In Rich
mond shows that epidemics OF this
disease come at more or less regular
intervals. our last epidemic was in
1910, ana the last one before this was
In 1907. In these epidemic years the
disease is OF peculiarly severe type.
and is also more highly contagious
than 1t is IN oft years.
At the present time CDecember Is.
1922 a severe measles epidemic IL Just
beginning. Owing to the highly con-
tagious nature of measles. the Rich
mond health department. cannot hope
TO head off the epidemic In addition
to it's high degree OF consciousness,
the reason why IT Ia impossible to
check the spread OF this disease Is due
to the fact that measles is highly con-
tsgious for five or six days before the
eruption appears. During this time
child who f. developing measles may
Been, to hs~sgarce5y sicsc lat Sal, or Ia
be suffering from asa ordinary cein
IN the head. A child In this stage OF
the disease mingies with other chill
dren. and these children become In
fected before the eruption appears in
the frst case
Measles of this severe type has ap-
peared In the school attended by your
child. If this child has not already
lad the disease. IL is exceedingly like
ly that he or shc will have 1t this
winter.
In children old enough to attend
school measles liz not likely to prove
fatal even in the present severe type
OF the disease. In all previous cpl
denies most of the deaths have been
In children under three years OF age.
The special object of the Richmond
health department. In sending out this
circular is TO acquaint parents with
the above facts. and TO urge them to
give careful attention to the following
points:
Q) Remember that measles is not
an insignificant matter,
(2) Every case OF measles should
be under the care OF a good physi-
clan.
(S) As your child has been exposed
to measles in school, be on tho lookout
FOR early symptoms Of this disease.
These symptoms resemble an ordi-
nary cold in the head. The eyes are
also decidedly infamed. IL these
appear. keep the child m
doors and away from other children.
and send for your family physician.
90 II there are younger children In
the house. they will almost certainly
ievelop the disease II they have been
exposed to another casa Be sure.
TO keep close watch over
sour children who have been exposed. |
Be especially careful to see that thsy |