Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-19
@EE&P
FIGHTING DIPHTHERIA

The warning of the state Board
of Health against dlphtheria comes
just at a time when the local Board
OF Health has started a campaign
among school children to have them
inoculated with toxin-antitoxin
which makes the person having the
serum injected immune practically
for life. According to the statement
of the Department of Health at
Trenton diphtheria is on the in
crease in New Jersey. In October,
1t is pointed out, there were 642
cases of the disease reported to
the department, in September S4S
cases, and in August 26S cases. This
steady increase in the number of
cases has caused some alarm In
health circles and parents are
warned to be on their guard against
the disease.
Diphtherla is one of the most
dreadful OF all diseases now preva-
lent among children. Last year
there were COS deaths out OF total
OF 1913 cases. This is an alarm
ing percentage. The sad part OF 1t
is, that seventy-three per cent. OF
the deaths occur among children
under six years Of age, But even
when death does not result, the
disease usually leaves the victim
with some defect that is hard to
remedy.
with smallpox and typhoid fever
practically conquered by the use OF
serums, diphtheria Is the greatest
scourge among children with the ex-
ception of infantile paralysis. 1t
is true that many lives have heen
saved through the use of antitox.n
in diphtheria cases, but the anti
toxin is given only after the dis
ease has taken hold of its victims.
The desire is to prevent the child
from even contracting the disease
and 70 that end a serum has been
found that acts the same in the
case of diphtheria as vaccination
does In regard to smallpox. A child
once inoculated with this serum
which is called toxin-antitoxin. may
be exposed to diphtheria and still
not take it.
During the past week all the
school children have had PLACED In
their hands to carry home a blank
which. after describing what .nocu-
lation OF the toxin-antitoxin means
provides place where parents may
sign their names giving their con-
sent to have their child treated. For
a short time the Board OF Health
proposes to have this done free OF
charge. The funds at the disposal
of the Board OF Health will not
permit a continuation of this free
service, but in an effort to head OH
any epidemic of diphtheria this COM
ing winter the health authorities
ore making a special effort to rem
der as many children immune from
the disease as possible. The blank
sent out by the Board OF Healtf
states that there are no i'll eftect'
from the incubation excepting tha'
the child will feel drowsy for 6
short time afterward. The youngei
the child the less it affects them
When one realizes that such inocu
lation which at the present tint
will cost nothing, will remove al
danger of the child taking diph
iberia, and when one contemplate
the horrors that the disease brings
IL would seem as II thoughtful par
ents would be glad to seize the op
portunity TO have their children In
oculated so as to be absolutely safe
No inoculation will be done withou
the consent of the parents. there
fore those who want their childre:
treated would do well to sign th'
blank and have 1t returned to tn
school at once. To wait for another
time may be too late.
T4E WATER SUPPLY