Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-18
MEASLES SITUATION
SUBJECT OF CONFERENCE
'otM OF Dol Cases Reported Here
This Winter. With 10
Deaths
DISEASE VERY CONTIGUOUS
levy, Stern, Emmett and Summers,
AFTER Conference, See NOSReason
Tvs let for Interfering With Opcr-
alton OF Public Schools,

"hethcr 1917 Is to be anoth.n "noa-
sues year is a question whichsis Civ
me Richmond Health Department.
''nSih"rhblc concern. For a number
ears past cpidemics OF measles In
"'ch'nond have come at regular iuter-
'''S OF three years. or rather. accord
"'e 10 Chief Health officer Levy. every
MIRA year has been one of high oath
'"'" from measles. In the alternate
hrs the death rate has been low. al
.'uth in some OF them the number
VI cases has been quite large al
Last year Richmond had the fourth
measles epidemic which has occurred
sine" 1906. and 1917 was. therefore. OK
p"''"d 10 bc what is known as an
on year" for this disease. The pros
ont year opened with only four eaxe.;
oi measles in the city. During JsIu-
AIRY Sl&ty-four cases were rcpotted,
nearly all of which were among adults
In February 2l7 cases were reported
n" last tire cpidcmicS OF mcaiies
IN Richmond have been carefully stu
died By the Health Department. In
'ach instance III. spread has b.en
through children exposed to infection
IN schools and Sunday schools. The
school children. in turn, have carryed
the cases into their homes, where
younger children have contracted it.
ANA II is among children less tlian
iiv" years of age that the disease is
especially fatal
tp 10 this time the situation Is uusIe
different. Adults and very young ciI-
drcn have furnished most Of the ca SOS.
only within the last week or two hate
children Of school age heEun 10 fur
nish any considerable number Of casts.
This is in most marked contrast to all
previous experience. This fact. to-
"a 4 h,s f.l,F Il. = IL
measles year, accounts for tho ali
FACULTY. in determining whether Tie
measles situation is really to become
scr;ous. g.
MO>T CONTAGIOUS UF All. .
KNOWN DISEASES
Measles s the most contagious OF all
iu"wn diseases. and. unfortunately.
~ is contagious for several days bcfoic
the eruption appears. and during tlief'
period child who j. developing the
disease may not bc confined to bed or
TO the house. and thus spread the dis
ease.
y conference was called by chief
jiralih officer Levy yesterday! Dr. y
= Emmett, medical director for iii.
public schools: his assistant. Dr. Il. y
Summers. formerly medical inspecto;
for the Richmond liealth Department;
Dr. II. >. Stern. the present medical in.
Spcctor. ANA the chief health office:
were present.
II was decided that The present
situation did not WARRANT measures o!
such "a Iar-rcach!ng nature woIli
seriously interfere with tho school
system Not even III. most extreme
measures can bc counted on TO stop the
spread OF measles IN Its epidemic type,
on account Of the facts above men,
TONED. II was decided. however. that
Dr. Emmett would 20 over the situa-
inn ,cit r., nf oh Of l,
public schools. ana leave with each of
them measles Literature. furnished b?
the Health Department.
Although contagious before the crup-
ticn appears and al times before even
the prescription symptom, appear. 4
great deal nevertheless can be accom-
plishcd by promptly excluding from
lhc schools every child who shows any
~ the usual carly symptoms. such as
iuha'ued and watcry eyes. head
old, and sncczinG.
PARENTS WARMED TO
KEEP WATCH ON CHILDREN
Parents are warned to look out for
these symptoms in their own children.
ANA 10 keep in the house and away
from other children in the home any
child presenting these symptoms.
Dr. Levy states that measles is ~
long odds the most fatal OF the erup-
1--WE Diseases OF infancy and childhood.
~ last year "plucHllc lae'" "'rS
G7S5 cases with forty deaths. while
from scarlet fever, disease much
more dreaded. there have bcru only
tNjrty-ninc deaths in the past twenty
one years. Measlc, must. therefore.
never be regarded as an insignificant
disease it is especially fatal IN chill
lren less than five. and still more IN
children less than three.
No parent pr. Levy says. should at
tempt TO treat case Of measles IN
Young child. but should invariably call
i'm the family physician.
Up TO the present time there nave
been 5sl cases reported in Hichmoni
mis- wear but so far there has been no