Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1921-09-16
'Diphtheria Prevalent;
Situation Serious

Reports which have been received
by the state board of health for the
months of July and August show
that diphtheria and other throat af
fections have been much more pre-.
valent during those two months
than ever before for the same pc
riod during any year for which re-
ports have been made to the state
board of health. Dithptheria is a
disease which, as a general thing,
does not make it's appearance until
the fall and winter and the high in
cidence of the disease in the state
during the late summer months has
been a source of great concern to
health officials because of the fact
that the schools of the state are
ready to open. 1t is feared that I'M
less extreme precautions are taken
to prevent the dissemination of
dipththeria throughout the schools
that the ensuing fall and winter
months will show a very pronounced
prevalence of diphtheria. The
state board Of health is, therefore,
urging. upon school officials and
health officials, as we'll as upon the
parents of children in the state,
that all possible care be taken to
discover the occurrence of throat
troubles in children at the earliest
possible moment and to prevent the
attendance in school until it has
been determined by a competant
physician that the condition is not
contagious. Reports for August,
which have So far been received by
the state board of health, show that
diphtheria is present in every coun-
ty in the state from which a report
has been received.
1t is unfortunately true that too
little attention has been paid to the
necessity for isolating children who
have had diphtheria. An investiga-
ton of several outbreaks of this
disease by the state board of health
during the winter of 1920 showed
that in every community in which
these outbreaks occurred were con-
stantly being allowed to attend
school from the howes in which
diphtheria was present. This dis
regard for the law, designed to
prevent the spread of communica-
BILE diseases was, of course, respon-
sible for the dissemination of
diphtheria throughout these various
communities. 1t is hoped that dur
ing this year, when the danger
from diphtheria seems to be great
err than for many years previous,
that every case of diphtheria will
be promptly reported to local or
county officials, that quarantine will
be Immediately established in every
case and that the children in infect
ed homes will be absolutely barred
from attendance in school until per-
mission is given by the health Off
Ger and quarantine is raised.
Diphtheria is preventable only
through isolation Of active cases,
through the early diagnosis of the
disease and through the mainte-
nance of rigid restrictions concern
ing attendance in schools of chill
dren from infected homes. The pre-
vention of this disease also involves
the discovery of carrier cases. The
regulations Of state and county
boards of health require that ev-
cry case of diphtheria shall be
otANIAy qudLlllCAucu LVE d pcElOu u
six weeks, or until such time as lab
oratory examinations shall deter
mine that it is safe to release the
infected individuals from quarin-
tine. These regulations also require
that children living in the home in
which case of diphtheria is pres
emit shall be excluded from school
and shall be prevented from ming.
ling with other persons for a pc
Rod of six weeks, or until it is
shown by laboratory examination
that such children are not carriers.
The law also requires that every
case of diphtheria shall be immedi-
ately reported to the municipal or
county health officer having juris.
diston by the attending physician,
or in case no physician has been
called by the head of the household,
It is believed that the observance
of these regulations will result in
the control of diphtheria in this
state.
D.phtheria antitoxin properly