The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-18
CHILDREN WHO APPEAR HEALTHY
 MAY BE MENACE

vince parents that their children, who may appear to be perfect ly healthy, may be a greater menace to the community at large than a child confined to his bed. They may be carriers of a dread disease and communicate oSat illness to others in the community: This was the 5inse; de. of communicable diseases, in a state ment today.
 In discussing the possible menace diphtheria, Dr. Fear said. "A carrier is any person having in his throat germs which are capable of produc- ing disease in others, even though they themselves may not be i'll. The germs may be those of any com municable disease. such as typhoid, epinal meningitis, diphtheria, or pneu- monia."
 "As soon as the microscope was in vented" pr. Fear continued. the or ganism causing the disease dfphtheria was discovered. When it was seen that diphtheria was caused by well known and easily demonstrated or- eanisnl, it became routine to examine the germs in the throats of all who had diphtheria and all who were ex- sPcsed to the disease. Such persons ks are exposed to the case are called contracts.
 Many Experiments.
 "A number of experiments were made by many health authorities on a class of apparently well children. The percentage of those having the diphtheria germs ranged from one to ten in every hundred examined. The same was true in the routine exam ination of members of family where 8 case existed, before releasing the members from quarantine.
 Dr. Fear explained that it is cus- tonary to examine every child in a school room where one is absent be- Nf CntnreS taken. and in covering the field so thoroug ghly it is evident. he said, that many carriers will be found and will be duarantined. He said that 1t is his belief that it is the proper thing to quarantine q person who is actually sick with the disease, and it is just as proper to quarantine an individual who is shown to be q carrier of diphtheria germs.
 we have seen," said the director. ''several cases of carriers in homes. In one instance a few days after child had been in the hospital a sec. ond child from the same family came in and was actually sick with the disease and died. With such occur that a carrier is a menace to the fam fly and to the community at large
 Most of the organisms are found in the throats of individuals who have large, ragged tonsils. The germs bury deep into the tonsils. making a serious problems of getting rid of them. Removal of the tonsils Is the best known method of getting rid of the organisms in such cases''
 The Laboratory Test.
 Dr. Fear explained tho laboratory animation is made by physicians and nurse in the case of contacts. The germs are placed suitable material on which they will rapidly grow. This material is placed in an incubator and kept at body heat, every speci- men being numbered. In order to find the kind of organism it is neccs- sary to examine the germs under a microscope. Several germs are pla ced on a glass slide, and are then stained to bring out the characteristics of the organism. The laboratory worker eX- amining the slide makes a diagnosis whether diphtheria germs are pres ent absent, and has absolutely no knowledge of whose specimens Is testing until after the diagnosis.
 should the case be positive the fam ily physician is immediately notified If the positive culture is found it is seen that the patient is actually ill If the culture is from the throat of a contact, that contact is called car Tier. because he has been subject Iu contagion and has received the germs thus making it possible for him tc convey the disease to others. Dr Fear stated that in his opinion such q person should be Quarantined.
 Guinea Pig Test
 The guinea pig test was explained The diphtheria germ must be sepa- rated from the other germs. if the organism is virUlent, or capable oi producing the disease. the guinea pis dies in q to 72 hours. Therefore the germs are placed under the sS IT of the animal. and if the pig dies it i, evident that the germs were those ol diphtheria. It is an interesting ob. serVation, pr. Fear said. that tht guinea pig will not die if other germ. besides the diphtheria organisms ar, placed under the skin. This test ha. been made recently using the organ isms from a local persons throat Ire guinea pig died
 When a carrier remains so for longer period than usual the tests art repeated, and the patients cultur, must show two successive negative re suits before he is discha rgcd Tht reason for this is that on one da, only small amount of the tnaterIs may be tested. which would brins about a negative result while the. pa tlent actually suffered from diprheria
 In order to prove the viruIence O an organism, the germs can be i:7olat ed from the various parts of the pig showing that it is not some othe, organism which caused the death
 In summing up his remarks pr Fear said, Ut is evident that a car Tier is 2 greater menace than a chiI, sick in bed, because the carrier zoe through the community giving th disease germs to those with whom h comes in contact