The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-01

or As per cent were found positive;
119, or ABB per cent were carriers
and the remaining number, thirteen,
were active cases. In the first five
schools, all the grades were cultured.
~ Only the children of the schools
showing mum bers of cases, except con-
facts, were cultured as routine. In
cluded in the list. was one home for
children, where there were eighteen
cultured.
OF all the carriers detached. so of
the 157, or 3S.2 per cent. were chill
dren between the ages of and 9
years F'orty-two, or 26.S per cent,
were II years of age or over. Six of
them adults over the age of 20 years.
The great majority of carriers found
by culture were children in the first
four grades, and this was the reason
that after October L only the lower
grades were cultured.
of the total number of diphtheria
carriers discovered. says the report,
only eighteen. or ia per cent, gave
a history of ever having had diph
liberia. OF this number but ten gave
a history of having had the disease
within a period of six months prior TO
the time the throat culture showed
positive. In thirty-five cases. or 22.2
per cent, a history of diphtheria was
obtained of some other member of
the family 9th er than the patient, but
in only fourteen instances had the dis
ease occurred within the past six
cent. no history of diphtheria in either
the carrier or any other member of
the family was obtained.
Release of carriers was made after
two consecutive negative cultures
twenty-four hours apart. Twenty-one
cases. or 1873 per cent, were released
within one week after the diagnosis
culture was made; fifty-three, or 40.1
per cent, were released by the end of
the second week; forty-tWo or 26S
released nv the nf
the third week; twenty-three or 14.6
per cent, Were released by the end of
the fourth week. But eight cases, or
per cent, remained under quaran-
tine after four weeks The carrier
showing positive culture longest was
under quarantine for. fifty-one days,
and during that period was cultured
fifteen times, eleven resulting in posi-
tive findings and four negative. This
patient gave a history of having had
three attacks of diphtheria, but sub
sequent to his last attack his tonsilS
were removed. A virulence test was
not made in any case.
From the ABOVE figures, we find
1875. or 500 per cent, of the 157 car
riers were released by the end of three
weeks G. H Weaver (Journal Amer
lean Medican Association. March 20,
1920. in a study of 500 consecutive
carriers. treated at the Durand hose
pital, found that three weeks after
diagnosis was made, 71.2 per cent of
the cases became negative
The city health officer reaches the
from the larger number of
carriers who were found to have no
history of diphtheria in themselves or
any of their families. that the cultur-
ing of possible carriers is one of the
most important phases of the fight |
a ga:nst the epidemic.
The epidemic was marked by the |
mildness OF the cases which oc-
Cured" Doctor Brown says, '"but new |
the mild cases developed |
complications just the same as the Sc
we're cases.
1.-The epidemic in Topeka was |
marked by unusually low tempera-t
tures-running at SO and 99.5 de- |
grees.