Evening star., 1915-11-18
D|PHTHER|A Warning
IS ISSUED TO PUBLIC
Sixty Cases Reported This Month,
Five Having Resulted
Fatally.
Precautions Which Should Be Taken
to Prevent Spread Of the
Disease.

y. Sixty cases OF QIpAtHeTld fSpoi tSO "
lthe health department during the sew
%enteen days of the present month, Of
which five have resulted fatally, re-
suited in the department today Off
cially calling attention to the preva
lence of the disease and urging the
public to exercise precaution against
its spread.
!. The record for the first half of No
;vember has exceeded the showing for
!the entire month of October, in which
3there were ffty-four cases and five
deaths. During September there were
twenty cases and one death.
"Of the cases reported during the
present month"; states the department.
IN a special bulletin dealing with the
subject nineteen were in five institu-
tcarrier' cases. While such a patient
shows no illness, the germs are In his
nose or throat, and he Is therefore, as
grave a menace to the community as
is the patient who is acutely i'll. The
carrier is even more of a menace, since
he commonly pursues his usual mode of
living without taking precautions Of
any kind. and even in ignorance Of the
fact that precautions are needed.
Patients Outside Institutions.
"Of the patients not in institutions, re-
ported during the present month, ten
were in the northwest section of the
7District, twenty-one in the northeast
section. four in the southwest and six
In the southeast section. Within the
sections named. the cases were widely
distributed, city and suburbs suffer-
ing alike. OF such patients. seven were
less than five years OF age, seventeen
between five and ten years. and eight
between ten and fifteen years. the
others were sixteen years OF age ana
over Thirty-three were white and
eight colored. This shows an exclusive
prevalence among the whites.
The germ that causes diphtherla
passes from the throat or nose OF the
patient to the throat or nose OF lts
prospective victim, either directIy' as
in kissing: through the medium OF the
common drinking cup. pencils, spoons
and other like utensils; or through
particles of mucus projected INTO tne
air by the patient in the act OF cough
ing. sneezing or even forcible talking.
Food may be infected and become the
agency for the distribution OF dIph-
iberia germs.
'AThe health department cannot pro-
tect the public against the spread OF
diphtheria, except in so far as relates
to reported cases, and reports are COM
monty received only after more OF
less prolonged period of illness. Mild
cases, particularly those in which no
physicians are called, and carrier cases
are, it is believed, frequently not re-
ported at all.
What Public Can Do.
'The public can. however. do much to
protect itself by regarding every sore
throat as being due to diphtheria. un-
till after the contrary is proven by
meteorological examination. Such ex-
aminations are made at the health de-
partment free of cost, if specimens are
submitted by the attending physician.
Personal cleanliness. too. is one Of
the most important means of self-pro-
lection. Avoid the use of the common
drinking cup and. of spoons and OF all
like utensils that have not been steri-
liZed since last used. Mugs, glasses,
spoons and forks in restaurants, lunch
rooms and barrooms and at soda foun-
tains should, IL possible, be avoided
unless systematically sterilized: simple
cleanliness is not enough. Avoid over
crowded and especially poorly ventilat-
ed places of assemblage, such as street
cars. moving picture shows and the
aters.
Avoid the droplets Of mucus elected
by others in the course OF coughing.
sneezing, or even forcible talking; turn
your own face out of range II the Of
Tending person does not turn his away
or use a handkerchief to arrest the
droplets See that the food supply. par
ticularly milk and all foods that are
not washed or cooked before being
eaten. comes from the proper source.
Always wash the hands before eating.
In case Of doubt with respect to any
illness. call physician, and II there
be evidence of sore throat, insist on
culture. The early administration of
antitoxin may be depended upon to
save life, but its postponed adminis-
tration is not nearly so effective"