Evening star., 1927-04-29
DOCTOR EXPLAINS
D|PHTHER|A CURB
Advocates InOCuIationS Near
End of First Year of
Infancy.

Warning that the great majority
Of all children Of pre-school age are
susceptible to diphtheria, with It's
high fatality rate, DR.. w. T. Harrison
of the United States Public Health
Service last night broadcast an ap-
peal to the National Capital to put a
stop TO the ravages of this disease,
deaths from which he emphasized
now can positively be prevented by
immunization.
Speaking over WRC as part of the
Child Health day-May day celebra.
ton, DIR. Harrison said: Diphtheria
has long been a dreaded disease of
childhood. approximately one-seventh
of the deaths in children from 3 to 5
wears Of age being due to this cause,
which is all the more terrible since
in the light of modern knowledge OF
preventive medicine deaths from d1ph'
liberia are unnecessary"
Cites Striking Results.
Citing the striking results obtained
I'm Auburn, Y. Y, where a high IA
tality from diphtheria in previous
wears has been reduced until there
has been no diphtheria in that city
since 1924, DIR. Harrison declared the
work among the school children OF
Auburn "leaves no room for doubt
es to the effectiveness of this method
OF diphtheria prevention.
'RlIt why" he asked Should the
child be compelled to wait until he
reaches the school age to receive this
immunity, which can be provided at
the end of the first year of life with
less inconvenience, if possible, and
in addition with the immeaSurable
benefit of complete protection dur
y. e 4acs4
"While protecting the school child
let us direct our efforts to reach the
less accessible child of pre-school age,
who most needs our attention, and
whose protection will be more effec-
tive in reducing the numbers that
die each year from diphtheria.
The record of Auburn was ex-
plained by Or. Harrison. 1t is q city
OF about $4,000 population.
Capital Campaign Planned.
"Among the school children of Au-
burn in 1920" said DIR. Harrison,
F'there were 10S cases Of diphtherla,
with II deaths; in 1921, 1S1 cases, with
IA deaths. In March, 1922, syste-
imatic work among the school chill
dren was undertaken with the re-
suit that SIS per cent were inoculated
during the year. Among these chill
dren there were cases of diphtherla,
with no deaths, while in the AZ per
cent of untreated children there We're
rs cases, with IS deaths. In 1928
immunization had steadily proceeded
until there were 73 per cent of school
children inoculated, and among these
there We're cases and 1 death, this
death occurring in child who had re-
ceived ] course of injections, but was
still Schick positive Indicating that
more treatment should have been ad-
ministeredl. Among the 27 per cent
untreated there were Is cases, with
] death. In 1924, SIS per cent of the
school children having been inocu-
lated, there were no cases in this
group, while among the Is per cent
untreated there was ! death. Since
March, 1924, there has been no diph-
liberia among the school children of
Auburn. These same measures ap-
piled in like manner will surely pro-
duce for any community the same re-
suits as are so strikingly shown here"
A campaign is to be carried on in
this city to immuniZe all children pos
able during this Summer, to stop the
annual toll Of about 80 deaths among
Washington children. The Child
Health day-May day committe. the
Health Department and agencies inter-
ested in the cause are all cooperating,
with emphasis laid strongly on the
matter over this week end, while May
day is being celebrated. The Health
Department will start its official cam
paign for city-wide immunization early
In June.
ThTna TYvrnda,.,,,;n Tnfac8gous