Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-23
TRACES MEASLES CASES
TO BUCK.R0E EXCURSION
All Infected Children We're nj
Resort ON Picnic on
June 5.
ONLY FACTOR COMMON TO ALL
Chief Health officer Levy Urges
Parents and Physicians to Guard
Against Spread of Disease, and
Watch for First Symptoms.

l The measles situation in Richmond
is claiming considerable thought ON tho
part OF the Health Department. Measles
| in Richmond has had a most interest
! ing history III the past eight years.
| During this time there have been three
| epidcmics 1T intervals of three wears.
| there having been one in 1907. the sec
ond in 1910, and the third in 1913. The
first OF these cp!dcmics Chat of 1900
! could not be studied as the disea Sc
was not rcportablc nor mad the Rich
| mond Health Department, which had
/ been organized only a few months. the
| necessary facilities for STUDYING tho
situation There were in that year
| thirty-'ivc ycaths. tho greatest number
on record for Richmond. although two
years had shown "A higher death ratio
| per 100000 Inhabitants
The epidemic Of 1910 was very care
fully studied by the Health Dcpart-
m"nt, and a great deal Of valuable and
original Information was obtained
This epidemic started at the end Of
February and reached its height in
May. when So cases were reported in
/ on" month. In the epidemic as n whole
there were 2,3lG cases, with twenty
nine deaths.
Iii" epidemic OF 1913 started in No
N'H'pc' vi thc previous year. but
rcnchcd its height In February. In
this epidemic there were 5++6 cases
with twenty-five deaths
Tho cnidenics of 1910 and 1918 both
started in schools, and in each instance
the spread through the city was
brought about by the fact that these
school children attended different sun
DAY schools. In these sunday schools
children from number OF additional
day schools became Infected, so that in
thus manner the disease shortly became
epidemic throughout the entire city.
FIVE CASES OF CHILDREN WHO
WENT ON EXCURSION TO BICkROE
W TO last Thursday there had been
n" case of measles reported since April
on thursday one case was reported,
and n second one reported on Friday.
ON Monday five cases were reported
and all these children attended a pic
mic az Bucllroc Beach on Juno . ac-
cording TO Health department reports
Al! OF them except one broke out on
June -. There is a rumor TO the Of
rect that on the excursion train there
was a child who was quite i'll and who
mad an eruption OF some kind. How
ever this may be, IL is certain that
these children were infected from a
common source. and tho only common
factor Is the presence OF all on this cX-
curS!on, since the residences are sepa-
rated and tho children who are Ill had
not been together on any other occa-
sion.
In discussing the measles situation.
Chief Health officer Levy stated: 1T is
TO be feared that We are the verge
OF another epidemic OF measles. as
there are many phases Of the present
situation which closely resemble tho
early situation in our previous cpl
denies. ! have not, in my experience
in Richmond. had any measles epidemic
start at this season of the year Fur
thcrmore, the fact that schools are not
now IN session would make it appear
probable that tho disease will not
spread as rapidly rs in previous cpl
denies. all OF which have spread
through schools and sunday schools.
URGES PARENTS AND PHYSICIANS
To WATCH CHILDREN CAREFULLY
Il would strongly urge on all phys,-
clans and parents to be on the look
out for measles and 10 report every
case promptly TO the Health Depart