Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-23
KATHARINE TUCKER
On How Public Can Help in Measles
Epidemic

Epl0emlc
TIiE Philadelphia public can play an i'm.
L portant part in the epidemic Of measles
from which the city is now suffering IT !.
will do intclligcntly what it could and should
do, says Miss katherine Tucker. snperin:
tenlent Of the Visiting Nurse Society OF
Philadelphia.
"About three Weeks ago the situation
with regard to measles in the city became
acute" said Miss Tucker. ''Onc of the
most serious things about the whole bust.
ness is that the people do not seem disposed
to regard measles as anything more than
chidren'S disease and. therefore. Will not
take such precautions ms '.cy would IN
case Of other diseases no more serious in
themselves. hut Of which the public stands
in greater fear.
Should Call Physicians
."rhe first thing TO be done in case OF
even n suspicion Of measles is to call in
II physician Immediately and thcn. ccNun'!y
important, to support tho physician IN
reporting the case. in order that proper
steps against infection OF other children may
be taken.
even intelligent persons apparently assum"
that measles only is one OF the unavoidaplr
evils of childhood. II these persons could
have sccn. ns W" have. n perfectly hcal lthy
hnby climb over the he'd of his little brother
who had measles. and then see that baby
die three days later. they might accord the
seriousness to the disease which is its due
1t is not necessarily in the seriousness OF
measles itself that the danger lies. but in
the very great possibilities Of serious COM
plications. especially those OF the Kidneys,
eyes. ears and bronchial region.
"Thcrc are two great things, which tn"
public ms II WHOLE does not do. IN III"
first place. the physicians are not called III
promptly in case "f measles Which 'S
highly infectious disease. and. in the second
place. there seems to bc little u any sense
Of responsibility felt toward other rhlh!rch
and toward the community.
Nurses tind Many Cases
''rhr nurses Mind an astonishingy large
number Of cases Of measles IN the rounds
of thcir other duties. and these, Of course.
are Immediately reported and proper nttcn.
tion is given TO them and the danger of
infection reduced to minimum For
example. in ono short street there were
two cases of mcnSlcs: within fcw days
practically every house in that street had
one or more cases. and out OF til" twenty
odd cases. only two had been reported. by
tho time there were five crepe sign hang.
iug in that street the ncighbOrhood wns
aroused bur several lives had been taken
which might possibly have been saved by
proper action.
can that is needed of the public is intel.
ligcnt cooperation. There ~ no us" OF
becoming unduly frightened. for. IL the cnst,
are taken in time. the chances nrc all in
favor Of compet" recovery. In such cases
people must show an interest and will
ingncSs to do whnt they can to help control
tho situation. Quarantine must b. main.
taincd and the interest and 60 operation of
all must he secured. II This is done there
is little danger either to the patient or to
| other children.
"As ! have said. measles is one Of the
| serious diseases solely because OF the posi- :
bility Of complications. II no complications
! set in. it is merely what so many consider
! it to be--n children's disease.
Complications Usually Pre,emtable
| MEASLES differs radically from such
| diseases as chickenpoX or mumps. Most
| Of the complications which makc measles
| n disease to be promptly reported and care .
| fully watched are readily prcvcntnblc il taken
| at once, but the possibilities of these com =
| plicatons are always serious. This is made
| the more difficult to handle by the atti .
tude Of such large proportion Of the public
that measles really need not he taken very
seriously nor cared for TO the extent of many
other diseases.
| '"rhc most serious Of these combinations
| and tho one which produces the highest
| mortality is pneumonia. I.atcr compica =
| tions which may appear ut a time when the
| child is conyalescing from measles proper
are those Of the eyes. the ears, the kidneys
and frequently chronic bronchitis.
| ~ cannot impress too strongly upon tnc
! ! pse'':s that !ssis ss.s, s:!s .ss;s Il 1.