Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-06-03
A WARNING AGAINST
ST. ANTHONYS FIRE
Georgia State Board of Health
Explains Dangers of the
Disease, Erysipelas, and
Outlines Necessary
Precautions.


Atlanta, Ga.-"Mothers, warn your
children against the dangers of Saint
Anthonys Fire. says the Georgia
state Board of Health, in an interest
Ing bulletin setting forth the con-
tageous nature of this disease, which
is simply erysipelas under another
name, and which enters the body
through some wound, cut or abras-
ION not properly cared for.
Erysipelas gets its other more pic
turesque name from the fact that it
Is a Virulant Inflammation, accom-
panied by an intense burning sensa-
ton, which turns the skin a fiery,
heated red.
Erysipelas is a highly contagious
germ disease. The only safe way to
guard against it is to wash all scrat-
ches, cuts and other wounds with
some simple but effective antiseptc
solution, and protect the place where
the skin is broken from outside in
lection.
Where a case of erysipelas already
exists the patient should be isolated
and the utmost care should be taken
10 prevent its spread to other peo-
pie. All the precautions taken in
other contagious diseases should be
used, and above all on one on whose
hand there is the slightest scratch
should touch any of the bedclothes
or other articles that come in con-
tact with the patient.
A scratch which would be too trivial
to be remembered may be the point
of entrance of these germs. Mouners
at the time children are born, are IL
able to the disease unless the strict
est antiseptic cleanliness is practiced.
Known to the Aucients.
Erysipelas is one of the Oldest
diseases known to medicine. Greco
Roman and Arabian physicians were
acquainted with it in ancient times.
Hippocrates and Galen both wrote
about it. 1t is common to all ages
and all countries.
Erysipelas seems to depend in all
cases on the existence of a wound or
abrasion. 1t usually manifests itself
in from three to seven days after the
germ has gained entrance through the
broken place in the skin. The skin
of the face is the most usual site of
the disease. There is tingling soon
followed by an intense burning at the
point where the germ entered. The
spot soon becomes red and hot slight
ly raised above the surface of the
surrounding healthy skin. The mar
gins are sharply defined. Very often
blisters form on the diseased surface.
Swelling as a rule is pronounced, and
when the face is the seat of the dis
sease the patient is sometimes rem
dered unrecognizable during the i'll
ness.
The disease spreads rapidly, but
the part involved today may be free
of the disease tomorrow. The general
condition of the patient during the
progress of the disease depends on
previous health, age and physical con-
dition at the time. When patients are
not aged and are in otherwise good
health the symptoms are not ordi-
narily very severe. There may be
slight chilliness, loss of appetite,
headache and fever for one or two
days.
When the disease is not complicated
by weakness other ailments or old
age, the prospects for recovery are
good. But in the aged and those de-
bilitated by the presence of some
other diseases, such as chronic
bright's disease, chronic malaria, dia-
betes, and the like, erysipelas may
produce alarming symptoms and not
infrequently cause death. In these
patients there is a dry tongue, high
fever, rapid pulse, labored breathing
great prostrattion and delirium.
Sometimes suppuration or gangrene
of the diseased skin may set in before
death occurs.
Complications Go With it.
Erysipelas is sometimes complicat.
ed by meningitis, pneumonia pleuri-
sy, Inflammation of the kidneys. and
septicemia or so-called blood poison.
ing. There may be also inflamma-
ton of the lining membrane of the
heart.
Erysipelas is, therefore, an extreme
ly serious disease either for young or
old, and in all cases a competent
physician or surgeon should immed.
lately be called in.
Parents and school teachers and
all Others who exercise an influence
over children are urged by the Board
of Health to describe to the children.
in simple language, how this and 9th.
er dangerous diseases may result
from small cuts when not properly
treated. in order that they may be
made to understand the necessity of