Arizona republican., 1913-03-14
CITY HEALTH OFFICER
 TALKS 0N MENINGITIS
Shows How Citizens Should Take Pre-
 cautions to Prevent Epidemic.

The seizure of a pupil of the Adams school yesterday with what has been declared to be spinal meningitis was followed by meeting of the city board of health at which members of the school board and Messrs. Stabler and Loper of the schools were present for a discussion of the situation.
 In view of the fact that there were exaggerated reports of the prevalence of the disease in Phoenix it was thought better that a public statement should be made regarding the situa- ton and the city health officer was di- rected to prepare one
 It is made not only for the purpose of allaying apprehension. but also that people may be induced to take pre- cautions that otherwise might be ne glected.
 There is no more cause for alarm than there was in Los Angeles last summer when, at the beginning, the public was needlessly frightened. but after sensible measures began to be taken. it was found that there had been very few cases Apprehension disappeared and so did the disease. The statement of the city health of | ficer follows:
 Tn order to correct the false reports | prevelant in the city the board of l health desires to report that there have l been seven cases cerebro- spinal men 1 ingitis to date with four deaths l Tn city of this size seven cases do not constitute an epidemic and unless l; we have more cases than we have had l fo,- e. zf l the fear manifested by many. By pub ! fishing the number of cases and deaths that have actually occurred we hope to l allay the fear caused by the wild rum 1 ors current and at the same time offer what is known as prophylactic 1 against this disease
 Meningitis is not a highly contagi-
 ous disease as are the diseases of child ! hood. As accurately as can be determ- 1 ined only about 10 per cent of those l infected develop the disease. The re- maining 90 per cent however may be- come carriers. A carrier is one who has been infected but does not develop any symptoms and still can transmit the infection to others. In meningitis 1 the infection is carried in the nose and i throat. It may remain there several months in some cases. in others a few weeks and in others only few days
 Carriers then are really the most dangerous as they are constantly ming ling with the public, while those sick
 are isolated. Further carriers consti- tute about 90 per cent of those infected.
 The garm is not resistant nor very
 virulent It can only live a very short n %1,1 disease must be contracted by direct contact.
 Anything that We can do then by way of prophylaxis must be based upon the following: First: that the disease is contracted by direct contact l almost always with a carrier. Second l that the infection is carried in the nose
 and throat and that it gains entrance 1 to the body through these parts and lastly that by far the greater majority 1 never develop the disease but become
 carriers.
 Under these conditions the precau- tionS recommended to minimize the 1 chances of infection are first: to avoid
 public gatherings. those with children especially. Second to avoid public
 drinking cups and other articles used
 generally. Third: by exercising the
 greatest care as to personal cleanliness
 of themselEes and the children
 Fourth: the use of antiseptic gargles
 and nasel touches, will probably help
 considerably in keeping the nose and
 throat free from infection.
 If the forgoing is followed out we
 feel that it will help some toward pre-
 venting the spread of this disease. If
 any member of the family should take
 sick with a condition not readily ac-
 counted for. a physician should be called at once and every effort made to
 determine the nature of the disease as soon as possible as few hours saved