The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-11-16
Illumination AGAINST
DIPHTHERIA TO CONTINUE
Health Department Arranges
For Treatments Next Week

immunity to dlphtherla, and test
! which shows whether the person is
immune, stated DIR. E. C. Peck, public
health officer.
If he is immune that means that he
will not take the disease under ordi-
! nary conditions. When there is a case
of diphtheria in the family, antitoxin,
containing thousands of units of
power, is used to treat the patient and
also may be used to produce tenn
porary immunity in the other mem
bers of the family. This temporary, or
borrowed immunity which antitoxin
gives to the brothers and sisters of
the patient, last only few weeks,
averaging six weeks. After this tenn
porary immunity wears off the chill
dren are just as susceptible to diph-
liberia as before.
The other way of protecting them
against diphtheria is by the injection
of toxoid, which causes the person in
jected to develop antitoxin in his own
blood and tissues. This antitoxin de-
veloped by the person himself protects
him against the disease and lasts for
many years. It's disadvantage is that
the protection takes several weeks or
more to develop, so that foresight is
necessary to protect children against
| the disease six weeks or more before
case occurs in their family or in
that of their friends.
The injection of toxoid leaves no
scar and in little children produces
hardly any irritation and soreness of
the arm. Every baby six months of
age or older should have this treat
ment. The toxoid used now is similar
to the toXn-antitoXin which was used
several years ago, but has been so
improved that one dose is as effective
in protecting the baby and produces
less irritation than any one of the
three doses of toxin-antitoxin which
used to be given.
AS children grow older many of
them become accidentally immune to
the disease, due to contact with ex-
tremely small numbers of germs, at
various times. Wherever it is possible
it is best to test all children over
seven to see whether or not they are
immune by accident OF from injec-
tions given at previous times. EXper-
fence shows us that about one-third
of the school children in this county
usually are immune when first tested.
The test is harmless, small injection
into the surface layers of the skin on
each forearm. 1t tells the doctor
whether the child needs an injection
to make him immune and also detects
those cases occasionally found among
older patients who would be apt to
have a sore arm if a full sized dose of
toxoid were given.
The Health Department has ar
ranged with the school authorities
and doctors of Oakland to carry out
an immunization program. Next
week the Schick test will be done on
all children in the Oakland schools
whose parents request it. Beginning
Decembr 4, the local doctors will give
toxoid in their offices to all children
who need it, regardless of whether
or not they can pay. On Monday of
that week, DR.. McComas will be at
his Office prepared to give toxoid to all
who come. The Health Department
will aid him so that patients who can
not afford to pay will receive the
treatment also. On Tuesday of that
week, the Health Department will as
sist DR.. Baumgartner at his Office and
on Wednesday they will assist DR.. N.
I. Broadwater; on Thursday DR.. Hine-
baugh will be assisted in the same
manner.
The Schick tests at the schools will
be done free of charge. The toxoid
immunization at the doctors offices
will also be free of charge to those
who cannot afford to pay. This offers
an opportunity for everyone in the
Oakland district to be protected
against the disease.
There have recently been ten cases
of diphtheria on the southern border
of the county near Kitzmiller and two
cases in Friendsville. One child died
of diphtheria near Grantsville last
summer, so the danger is real.
A similar program has been carried
out in Friendsville last week and this
week. Over 140 patients were given
the toxoid by the local doctors and
the Health Department. One hundred
and two Schick tests were done last
week and those who were positive are
being given toxoid this week,
Highway Deaths in two Counties
Total Twenty