Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-01-14
PUBLIC WELFARE DEPT.
BY Margaret Thomas, County Nurse

one. III the UlStTlcl IL WIllHS 10 cOlHe
in for me.
70 help in this matter | have asked
someone in each town to act as my
chairman for their locality and help to
ecOnomiZc my time by making appoint
ments for me. so that when | arrive
there | will he told what is most need
ed in their district. To help them /
would be very glad to have someone
from each school district on the com
mittee Of the chairman in the district
nearest them. My list is not com
pleted. but the following towns are
provided for:
WeyCrhaeuSer-MrS. Cox.
ApollOnia-Slsan Siglin.
Bruce-Mrs. John Bronsky.
Glen FlOra-MrS. BuchholZ.
Ingram-MisS Frances Clark ,
Hawkins Miss Rose Chickeripg.
I.adySmith-C the office or my
house. which are both OH the same line.
There seems to be cOnSidera bic diph-
iberia in adjoining counties and we
IL
district. TO help in the control of it
everyone should take the responsible
ity If there is any case of the disease
in your community, call your doctor at
once and let me know either directly
or through the nearest chairman If
there is any in school district. a cul
ture should be taken from all the chill
dren'S Threats to find out if the disease
is present in the thrOats Of others,
thereby making them carriers. | will
fry and keep culture tubes on hand.
The cultures are taken by using a lit
tie stick with piece of absorbent cot
ION wrapped around it, This is
touched to the back Of the throat and
tOnSilS of the person or persons and
each stick placed in a separate sterile
'cultuer tube and sent TO the state
laboratory where cultures are planted
from each stick and the next day are
examined with the microscope to see if
diphtheria bacill are present.
Since the diphtheria germs grow on
the lining of the nose and throat these
germs are easily thrown out from the
nose and throat of the patient. with
particles of mucous or spit When the
patient coughs. splits or sneeZes. The
reason for taking the culture from the
threats of all those in the district
where it has started is this: Some
persons may have diphtheria germs III
the nose and throat and still be per-
fectly well. Such persons are called
healthy carriers" They are special
ly dangerous because there is no out
ward sign which will tell them or 9th
ers that they are carrying deadly dis
ease germs around.
Any person taking care of Il person
with the disease should be very care
full of the hands, for they may have on
them the discharge from the mouth or
nose of the patient. Always wash the
hands thoroughly before touching any
thing else. if you have cared for a pa
fient with the disease. All the eating
utensils which the patient uses should
bp sterilized by boiling after each meal.
for the germs may be carried to 9th
nrs by the use of spoons. forks plates.
etc.
Diphtheria is preventable. and when
properly treated with anti-toXin. is
durable Most of the children who die
from diphtheria really lose their lives
ness Of their parents.
Diphthcria is disease most often
occurring in children and resembling
Il sore throat or tOnslitiS. 1t is caused
by small germ called the diphtheria
bacillus The disease may resemble:
4 very mild sore throat, the tonsils
and back of the throat being redder
than usual. and the person not feeling
i'll.
It may look like a more severe sore
throat or tonsilities with a white or
greyish patch. called Il membrane, on
the tonsils. There may be only one or
a few small distinct patches, and the
throat may feel somewhat sore. The
glands in the neck. and below the tom
sis may be slightly enlarged and may
feel about the size of small peas. The
patient may feel rather i'll.
Or the disease may he like very
severe sore throat. with small or large
gray or white patches. Not only the
tOnsils but also the palate may have
on it. white or grey patches.
If there is a membrane on the palate
the disease is almost certainly, diph-
iberia With such throat the per-
son feels very sick Not only does the
throat hurt but there are aches in the
back of the neck and in the muscles
generally The soreness in the throat
may extend down the windpipe, and
membrane may form there The pa
| tient is feverish and often delirious.
The fever is however not necessarily
| high.
! IN some eases the membranes may
form in the larynX Adams apple(
| When this is the case the patient $
voice sounds hOarse and crOupy. and
the child may breathe with difficulty.
| In small children it is not uncommon,
! if such cases remain untreated. for
this membrane TO choke the patient.
| Depending on the way it is treated
diphthpria is one of the least danger
Gus or one of the most dangerous dis
| = Sc, of I,n CT o {