Evening journal., 1919-11-15
DIP HTHERIA ON
INCREASE IN CITY
Board of Health Warns Par
entS to Call Doctors
For Children
DEATH RATE UP
TO IA PER CENT.

Alarmed at the ever increasing num-
Der Of cases Of dlphtherla reported
here. Health Board officials are consid-
ering the advlsabillty Of asking all per
sons who have children appearing
croupy to consult a physician at once
This action, IL Is though, will tend 10
check the disease which has been in
creas.ng here within the past few
weeks.
While the total number Of cases OF
/ the disease reported in the past ten
weeks was ffty, one-nfth Of that mum
Der was reported here this week.
The death records of The department
also show that the death rate has been
. high, averaging about ia per cent. OF
the total cases reported. The deaths
so far have totalled 7
Dr.. Ellegood. president Of the Board
oi Health, this afternoon issued the
following statement:
The Board OF Health records show
that there are now in this city more
than the usual number OF cases Of
diphiherla for this time OF the year.
We are stlll more concerned tlat the
mortality is not lower in a disease in
which the prompt recognition and the
administration OF antl-toxin have been
the means OF unquestiOnable success in
the past In our Investigations OF sew
e al cases we are struck with the fire.
quency Of Fcgretiable Instances in which
the child has been considered as having
an ordinary sore throat or Group.
Early this week a doctor was called
to see a case OF a small child and found
IL blue in the face and gasping for
breath. The case seemed a hopeless
one. Nevertheless a large dose OF anti
toxin was given in the vein and the
next morning the doctor found the
child on the way 10 recovery. The
child had been sick for one week sup
posedly with the Group and steadily
getting wO' sc, the mother said. There
are four other small children in this
family and two Of them were found to
have well marked cases OF diphtheria. 1
These two were given large doses OF 1
and smaller doses were given /
The well ones. all Of whom now seem I
10 be out OF danger.
"Our health officer learned that these !
children had been playing with the /
lther children Of the neighbOrhOod. The /
lbove case shows how an apparently 4
simple case Of Group may cause no end
II trouble and distress and be the
means OF spreading the disease long be-
ore it Is recognized OF course,
quarantine was Immediately established,
lot only on the sick children, but also
m the children with whom they had
,een playing. but this cannot prove
Dther than an effort to keep bad mat
er from getting worse.
Another case Is one OF a woman III
or a week, but not incapacitated, from
Ittending to her work in her restaur-
mt.
Another case is where the doctor is
allied in at 23O a. NJ. and the child is
hen dying.
What you should know and must
10 is 10 call your doctor the very min
tie you notice any sign Of sore throat
IT Group. You should know that mem
lraneous Group is diphtheria, that
hid with ordinary Group is practical
Y we'll through the day only groups
{ night; that diphtheria OF the larynx
) the most fatal and the hardest TO
eject; that all cases with any sore
lroat or Group should have the i'm
ledlRte attention Of a doctor, and that
he early use OF anti-toxin is absolute
: required.
"Call a doctor at once and insist on
q inspection OF nose and throat and
le use OF anti-toxin, even upon the
ightest suspicion" Lv