The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1913-06-06
SCARLET FEVER.
Its Prevention, Restriction and Sup
preston.

scarletina, scarlet rash, ETC., Is
dangerous. contagious and infectious
disease of more importance in our
State be cause or higher death rate
than yellow fever, cholera or small
pox. In former years the latter names
(scarletlna, etc.) were used to de-
signate mild attacks of the former,
and some physicians. who were not
willing to believe that a disease so
malignant at times could be so mild
at other times, persisted in believing
that they were separate and distinct
diseases. We now know them to be
one and the same disease. A malig-
nant case is not infrequently develop
ed from a milder one. The mild, walk
ing cases are sometimes a prolific
source of spreading the infection,
thereby increasing the mortality in
spite of efforts OF the health Officers.
During the prevalence OF the disease
in any community frequent inspec-
tions OF schools should be made by
the health officer. Suspected cases,
especially when scarlet fever is prss
ent in the neighborhood. should be
promptly isolated until It is deter
mined by the physician whether the
disease is scarlet fever or not. The
public and not the individual is en-
titled to the benefit OF doubt. One
attack usually renders one immune
to subsequent infection.
A Disase Of Childhood
Infants under one year OF age rare
ly have the disease, and under three
months OF age II seldom occurs. Thus
It often happens that other children
in a family may have scarlet fever
and the infant escapes II. II is almost
wholly disease OF childhood and
the person who escapes II until adult
life is not likely to become infected
with 1 tat all-there are occasional
exceptions
Cause of the Disease.
The cause OF scarlet fever has not
yet been discovered, but we have
good erason to believe that It is due
TO specific germ. Therefore, every
case OF the disease Is dependent upon
a pre-existing case, although the lat
ter may not be detected. The poison
may retain IT'S injecting power for
months unless destroyed by proper
disinfectlon. II has been fully and
oonclusively proven that It is entire
ly prevented by means at our com
mand.
How Transmitted.
II Is transmitted through direct eX-
prosure to another case, or through
the medium OF infected objects I'm
der the latter classification may be in
cluded infected articles like clothing,
dishes, food, rags, paper books or
any other object contaminated by
the discharges from the body Of n
uerson having the disease.
Among the articles which have
been known TO be the cause OF out
break and even OF epldemics OF scar
let fever is milk. Instances may be re-
Nved upon as follows;
arlet fever appeared in the fam
,3v Of n farmer who sold milk In the
village. four members OF the family
having H. Tho farmer himself had II
in n mild form and without knowing
the character Of the disease. While
in the dcsquamating, or peeling stage
OF the disease he MIXED his COWS and
sold the milk to five families who
contracted the disease from the milk
Tins furnished. In another instance
two children who had the disease In
a very mild form had access to the
milk room. and thereby caused the
Infection 10 be distributed to eleven
fa.allles in the milk route.
II is believed that the disease may
30 communicated by person le'V''i
Ine therefrom so long as the usual
subsequent scaling or peeling OF the
skin continues, which sometimes Is
not completed before the lapse OF
seventy or eighty days. The poison
may also remain in clothing. ETC. for
a long tima possibly for years espe-
cially II wooden. and packed away IN
drawers or trunks.
Period Of Incubation.
The period Of incubation or period
between the time OF exposure and
the appearance Of the disease is usu-
ally four TO seven days. This has been
known to va-y. however, from one to
fourteen days
Management Of the Disease.
In the isolation Of the patient he
should be placed in a room by him
10 Il |IIM