Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-04-22
CONTROL SCARLET FEVER

increaser prevalence Of scarlet fever
in Wisconsin. Each year heavy toll
in child life is exacted while thous-
ands of cases of illness from this dis
ease are recorded. The death rate
from scarlet fever in Wisconsin is
registration area of the United States
comprising 80 states and q cities. In
this respect scarlet fever has achieved
an unenviable distinction for the
death rates of other transmissible
disease are almost uniformly lower
in Wisconsin than elsewhere.
In order that children may be more
adequately protected against scarlet
fever increased and more intelligent
efforts must be put forth by lay peo-
pie as we'll as physicians, nurses, and
health officers. These efforts must
be directed along several lines.
/. Better enforcement and obser-
walton of the rules and regulations
governing the prevention and control
of scarlet fever.
2. Improved understanding of the
manner in which the disease is trans
mitted and the means of preventing
it's spread
8. Wider publicity through news
paper articles, posters, public lee
lures, and slides in moving picture
bo,,a<,,, -, ~ A. x,,oov,c of y1vovon fin Or
scarlet fever.
Without thorough understanding
and Application of the rules Of the
Stae Board of Health it is impossible
effectively to control scarlet fever.
A bulletin dealing with this subject
is available for all citizens of the
state, lay as we'll as professional.
From the frequency with which the
quarantine regulations are fiagrantly
violated it is apparent that many phys
icians and health officers are in es-
sential need of closer acquaintance
with authoritative procedure.
The we'll developed case of scarlet
fever is readily recognized. However,
the real danger undoubtedly arises
from the mid cases, which are fire.
quently not recognized as scarlet
fever yet are responsible for the
spread of the disease. However,
merely because a case is mild is no
reason for regarding it lightly. The
infection from such case frequently
assumes a most virulenti form when
communicated to other persons. The
vast majority of scarlet fever cases
result from contact between the sick
and the we'll When handled by scar
let fever patients or carriers milk
may become infected and cause out
breaks of the disease among the con-
sumers of the product. Milk-bOrne
epidemics are distinctively explosive
in character.
The process of discovering the par
ticular person responsible for a case
or group of cases of scarlet fever de-
ponds upon the fact that the individ-
uals most likely to acquire the disease
are those who have been most init
mately associated with an actual case.
Thus, by determining who were the
close associates of the scarlet fever
patient it is frequently possible to
discover persons with peeling skin,
strawberry tongue, sore throat, red
dened fauces or discharging ears but
whose condition has not been pre-
viously recognized as scarlet fever.
In certain cases the symptoms
may have been so slight or fleeting
as to have been overlooked. 1t is en-
tirely possible that these so-called
missed" cases serve as carriers of
the disease. In searching for carriers
it is well to reinspect patients who
have recently been released from
quarantine. When such persons show
evidence of sore or red throat or dis
charge from the ear they should be
regarded as potential sources of dam
ger
When scarlet fever is present in a
community all suspicious cases should
be isolated until diagnosis can be
made Isolation first and diagnosis
afterwards" is an excellent prOtec-
tive measure. The placarding of
homes in which scarlet fever is sus-
pected is also a procedure of distinct
value. 1t is also wise precauton to
obtain nose and throat cultures from
scarlet fever suspects in order that
the possibility of diphtheritic infec-
ton may be determined.
If scarlet fever is to be deprived OF
it's terrors physicians, nurses, health
officers and others engaged in public
health work must inform themselves
concerning the modern methods of
preventing and controlling the disease.
Moreover, they must be prepared to
advise lay people, particularly families
in which the disease is present, con-
corning the official requirements. 1t
is recommended that the scarlet fever
rules be published in local news
papers, together with the material in
cluded in this letter. The subject
should be discussed in schools and
public meetings so that the people