The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1921-12-22
-. Mich, Nov. %, '21
DR.. Olin, Secretary,

-, Mich, Nov. %, '21
DR.. Olin, Secretary,
State Board of Health.
Dear Sir:-Will you please
write me by return mail telling
me what should have been done
and that wasn't and telling me
the exact cause of death of our
little boy, 6 years, who died Nov.
Goth.
always was so afraid of diph-
liberia and on November 9th, John
came in from play about 400
p. m, complaining of being tired.
gave fever tablets, but he pass
ed restles night and on looking
in his throat Thursday morning
and finding white coating, diff
ferent from anything he had ever
had before, l took him to a doc
tor at once, who said we should
try his medicine for "a hours
and then if he was not better to
bring him up and have antitoxin
given, but that he did not think
it diphtheria, that he had anti
toxin in Office, but didn't believe
in peddling it out unless neces-
sary, but that it wouldn't hurt
John, even if it wasn't diphtheria.
Do you think that true B.?
His fever left at A p. m. that
day and he slept fine that night
and seemed to feel good. On Sat-
urday morning doctor swabbed
his throat and coating got over
an inch long over the left tonsil,
then said to me. Nov watch his
throat closely and if it coats
again over the same tonsil, it is
diphtheria. Bring him up again
and we will give him antitoxin."
Doctor spoke about his pulse
being so good and said l could see
he wasn't absorbing any poison
his eyes were clear. etc. The
following Monday he became
croupy during the night, but he
seemed fine Tuesday and Wednes-
day. His throat did not coat
over again. but looked like pus-
cells in tonsils. Thursday, the
18th he talked awfully hoarse
and whispered great deal, so
we had the doctor come out again.
He said he thought it was more
like Flu germs in his throat than
anything else. Croupy or breath
ed hard all night and commenced
getting croupy Friday p. m. at
about 4:00. l called the doctor
and he sent out Group medicine
he was croupy all night, but slept
fairly well and commenced get.
ting croupy about 800 p. m. We
again called the doctor and ask.
ed him if there wasn't danger OF
membraneous Group; he said moi
if we gave him his medicine otter
enough. Had him come out Sun
day morning at 500 and he sale
it was common Group, but gave
him 5000 units of antitoxin, say
ing it would take care of any
membrane below larnyx, but HI
knew thee wasn't any. About
he gasped for breath and / haC
doctor out again. His breatl
came shorter and shorter unit
at $3.50 he was gone.
On sending in swab, we go
report of positive diphtherii
germs. Doctor said he died from
paralysis of the respiratory mus
cles of the throat, but l though
his windpipe filled with mem
brane.
We had Dr.--from -
on Sunday evening. and about tn
first words he spoke were "The
tell us we don't use enough ant
toxin"
Signed -
No amount of comment at thi
time will bring back the child I
or relieve the distress of the brol
en-hearted mother. but with tn
establishment of free distribl
tion Of antitoxin by the State o
January 1st, we are Of the opiI
ion that such action should carr
exceedingly heavy penalties.
It is interesting to note in III