Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-01-12
REPORT OF WORK
FOR FIRST MONTH
DR.. A. N. Mueller Urges Vacci-
nation TO Check Spread
of Disease.
II CASES ARE CONTAGIOUS
States In Writing to Council That
There Was but One Smallpox Vie
tim and Traces Source.

IT. \. y. Mueller, Rock Islands new
health physician. submitted to the
city council yesterday afternoon his
first regular monthly report since his
recent reappointment TO the Office.
With the regular routine resume of
the work. he entered into a general
discussion of contagious disease,
also.
There were i cases of contagious
diseases. with chickenpox and scarlet
fever leading in number. of each there
being FIVE. Three cases of tuberculo-
sis were reported. two of diphtheria,
and one each OF smallpox and typhoid
fever
Five guarantees we're removed and
10 houses fumigated. Three cases OF
contagious disease Investigations were
made. One rubbish nuisance was in
yestigated
Births during the month were even
y divided between the sexes. There
We're 1G new arrivals in Rock Island
homes, eight being girls and eight
boys Twenty-seven deaths were re
ported. &c males and II female. Bur
ial permits numbering 81 were issued
and hve school permits.
Urges Vaccination.
Appended is the general discussion.
in which DR.. Mueller urges vaccina-
ticn and makes some interesting state
ments relative TO contagious diseases:
The health department wishes to
warn the public regarding the spread
OF scarlet fever. II is highly contagi-
GUS and only through prompt and ear
~ quarantine and fumigation at the
termination can the disease be check
ed. To clear up a misunderstanding,
II should be generally understood that
the words scarlet fever scarlet rash
and 'scarIetina' are all terms for the
same disease and do not refer to a
mild or severe attack
The nose and throat is where the
infection enters the system and every
case OF sore throat should be watched
for developments. meanwhile keeping
the child home from school and in the
house. During December no physician
was called for a certain case OF ton
silitis. the rash breaking out later
was unnoticed. while the child went
about as usual. and thus scarlet fever
was innocentiy spread
The period OF development or III
OF scarlet fever is from one
% seven. more often two TO four days.
Then the onset comes suddenly. with
fomitilg. high fever. and sore throat.
About the second day the red rash ap-
pears. first on the neck and chest.
spreading rapidly over the body. This
breaking out may vary in degree from
/ light 10 a scarlet hue. With the
Of the rash and fever
. shedding of the skin occurs and
asts until the patient Is entirely well.
yhich is. as a rule. three to four weeks.
|. mild attack can have the most Sc
ere complications later. such as
pneumonia. acute Bright's disease. in
ANIMATION Of the heart and joints. ear
.isease and deafness. and also causes
he spread to another person of a Sc
ere attack. Two or more attacks
an occur. Children under 10 are
more apt to contract scarlet fever.
There was only one case of small
OK in December. This was traced to
davenport. where vaccination and Z
umigation stopped the spread TO 9TH
rs. The coming generation IS not
ei1g vaccinated. This should be
Every person should be
accinated at least three times. and
ever exposed. vaccinated again, I'M
ass this has been done recently. In
his way only can the disease be pre- I
ented."