The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1913-06-12
CASES
.SH0ULDBE ISOLATED.
While Not Dangerous, 1t Is High
" Contagious - Sometimes
Complications Follow,
Says State Health
Board.

Board.
Atlanta, Ca Although chicken-pox
is regarded as one of the natural all
ments incident to childhood, there
are several important reasons, says
the Georgia State Board of Health,
why parents should exercise all the
care that would be taken with a more
dangerous epidemic disease.
In the first place. while chicken
pox, when properly treated, leaves
no permanent disagreement of the
skin, if neglected or permitted to be-
come severe, it may leave scars or
peck marks similar to the pits that
come from smallpox All that is
usually necessary to prevent the
scars is proper medical attention and
the exercise of care to prevent the
patient from Sc qtching the eruptions.
If small children persist in scratching,
Sit is a good idea to put mittens on
their hands. Itching may be alleyiat-
ed by carboiized and warm baths, and
the application of oil may be used to
hasten the separation of the G. usts.
Another reason why chickenpox
cases should be given careful atten-
ton is the fact that while severe ils
ness or death seldom, if ever, occurs
in uncomplicated cases, there is al
ways possibility Of complications
that might lead to serious results.
Complications are rare, but when they
do occur they consist usually Of pneu-
monia, erysiDelas and Inflammation OF
the kidneys (nephritis). Not infre-
Quently chicken-pox is complicated by
some other infectious disease, but
this, however, is more of a coincld.
ence than a true complication.
Another reason for exercising
special care in chicken-pox cases,
and this is the most important reason
Of all from the standpoint of COM
munity welfare,-is the fact that the
disease is highly contagious, and
when the children of a family, or a
school or a neighborhood have been
once exposed to it, scarcely any child
who has not had the disease escapes
contagion.
Usually Confined to Children.
The disease is usually communicate
ed in the ordinary intercourse Of
children in the family, the school OF
the Fairgrounds. While grown peo-
pie are not entirely immune, it is
usually confined to children. The
poison is eliminated not only through
surface Of the body and the crusts
broken from the eruption, but even
in the air which the person breathes.
1t is believed by physicians that 1t
can enter the body by way OF the
respiratory passages. Direct con-
TACT, therefore, is not necessary, the
Infection being communicated to some
little distance by the air; it can also
lie carried more remotely by persons
who do not contract the disease
themselves, but who transmit it to
persons who are more susceptible.
The Importance of isolation and
sanitary precautions, In the light OF
the diseases highly contagious ma
ture, becomes Immediately manifest.
Isolation should be practiced, and the
quarantine should be prolonged until
the last crusts are thrown off. Dis
infection of the person, clothing and
apartment is desirable to minimize
the danger of spreading the disease.
These measures, and the treatment
Of the disease, should be carried out
ander the direction Of a physician
chicken-Pox Symptoms.
Chicken-pox is ordinary, an easy
disease to diagnose. 1t develops in
from ten to sixteen days after ex-
posure. The first indication is usually
the appearance of smaA, bright red
spots, which rapidly develop into
water blisters called vesicles. They
vary in size, the largest being about
the diameter OF a split pea. There
yesfcles are ON the surface of the skin
and do not go deep. Usually there is
no suppuration or pus. The disease is
,ften accompanied by slight fever.
Surrounding each vesicle is a narrow
bright red ring called an aerolla. They
come out in crops on the body: some
times on the face and scalp: and oc-
casionalIy even in the mucous mem
brane of the mouth The blisters
seldom 90 on to pustula2on, but
rapidly dry up after the fluid in them
becomes Opaque. In addition to slight
feyerishness there may be loss Of APP
petite, aching feeling, and catarrhal
inflammation. The duration of the
attack is variable. Three or four
weeks is usually the extreme limit
before the separation of the last
crusts. Relapses do not occur. I'm
munity from future attacks is prac-
tically permanent.
But it must be understood that
chicken-pox has no relation whatever
- o,,olInov and the fart that a ma.