The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-10-19
CASES OF SCARLET FEVER
SHOULD CAUSE NO ALARM
Health Officer States Disease Is
In a Mild Form

Twenty-one cases of scarlet fever
have been reported to the health Of
flee since last Wednesday, according
to DR.. Eugene C. Peck, health officer.
Although this outbreak is causing con-
siderable inconvenience to the parents
and is cutting down the attendance
in the schools of the county because of
the number of children absent and
under quarantine, there is no cause for
alarm on the part of the public, DIR.
Peck stated. ~
''This year the disease has had a
mild form and there have been no
deaths as result" he continued. "The'
disease is difficult to control because
the germ which causes it is found not
only in the cases of typical scarlet
fever, but also in the Threats of other
people who have more or less signs
of inflammation in the throat. The
germs are spread almost entirely by
fresh secretions from the throat and
nose of such infected people. The
germ can infect milk supply, and if
person with infection in the nose and
throat handles milk, the milk is dam
gerous unless pasteurized or sterilized!
before use. IL
"The disease usually shows Itself
first as sore throat; there is some
fever and patients often vomit. III
the typical case the rash appears
about the second or third day of the.
disease, and at the same time one can
see that there is a rash on the roof
of the mouth and the tongue shows
marked redness of certain spots on it.
After a few days the peeling begins
These cases are dangerous to other
people from the start until every in
flammation caused by it has disap-
peared. 49,.
"The regulations of the State De-
partment of Health require that the
child be excluded from school for 81
days from the beginning, and until
all abnormal discharges stops and
sores are healed. Patients who are
exposed to the disease and then sep=
arated from the infection may devel-
op the disease any time within one
week following exposure, so children
who live in the same family with a
case without catching the disease are
required to stay, out of school for %
days. A pamphlet on the Control of
Communicable Diseases is issued by
the State Department of Health and
copies may be obtained at the local
health Office or will be mailed from
it on request.
"The most important measure in the
control of scarlet fever" DIR. Peck
said, "is the same as that which aids
in the control of all children's dis
eases. This is, that every sick child
should be put to bed, especially if the
symptoms are a cold or sore throat,
and a doctor should be called to see
the child. If the child is only mildly
i'll, it still may have a case of con-
tagious disease and spread it to 9TH
ers.
"Of the 81 cases reported in this last
week, six were seen by physicians and
reported to the health department and
the others are cases where the health
department has learned that suspic7
ious illness existed and visit by the
health officer has confirmed the dag
nosis.
"There is only one proved and two
suspicious cases of diphtheria known
in the county, but there has been con-
siderable diphtheria in surrounding
territory, and it is important that par
ents get their children, especially the
younger ones," DR.. Peck warned, Elm
munized against this disease" .