The Coolidge examiner., 1934-12-14
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MEASLES

disease. Parents seem 10 think
that every one has 10 have measles
sooner or later. and the best thing
to do Is 70 have Il soon and have II
over with. II is estimated that %
per cent o, adults have had H. Just
/ because measles does not have such
a high death rates as smallpox and
scarlet fever. two other diseases
characterized by a rash, is no rea-
son why we should let II continue.
II we viii all work together. we
can stamp Il out. as We have nearly
succeeded In doing with smallpox
/ In children over seven years
measles without complications Is
not a serious disease. But In chill
dren under six years. particularly
under three years. measles too often
results In death. or the child de-
velops pneumonia or ear infections
from u. and then death may follow
I these diseases. or the child may
sustain some other ailment that he
will carry through life During an
average measles year In Illinois-a
measles epidemic occurs every sec
ond or third year-there were 3s,-
600 cases. with 2ST deaths Most
OF the deaths were in the under
sir year group This tally does not
take into account the children who
died from pneumonia following the
attack OF measles. II II had. the
number OF victims would have been
much larger
Measles begins as a common sore
I throat and head cold ailment The
child is feverish and irritable; then
about the fourth day the distinctive
measles rash occurs. This rash is
very dlfTuse. II looks as n the skin
had been rubbed with pale red ink
/ The patient Is sick for nj least an
other Ave days IN the case OF old
or children who are put 10 bed and
kept quiet and warm under ply
sician's care. there ts little TO worry
about.
We do not know what causes
measles. But we do know that II
Is contagious during the early head
+ cold stage OF the disease, before the
skin rash appears In fact, It's dif-
rcult 10 diagnose a head cold as
the beginning stage OF measles be-
I fore the rash has appeared. Con
sequently. II there are any measles
In the nelghborhood and your child
develops a head cold and sore
throat. keep him or her isolated
from other children who have not
had measles. In that way you can
help protect the other children.
or there Is better way OF pro
+ tecting the child who has not had
I measles. Science has not been able
I TO develop vaccine against
measles. as II has against smallpox
and typhoid. since II does not know
+ the causative agent OF measles. but
F II has learned that II the blood OF
a person who has had measles is
/ injected into n child who has not
had measles. the child can be pre-
+ vented from having the disease. II
the child has been exposed 10
I measles. the injection should be
given within four days after the
+ time OF exposure. as that Is the pc
I riod OF incubation Of the disease. II
/ the child has already reached the
head cold stage. the injection will
mean a less severe case than would
otherwise occur.
The blood injection must be made
/ by a physician. II Is not given
straight The blood is mixed with
a sterile solution OF sodium citrate,
which prevents the blood from clot-
ting. The injection is then a very
simple matter. vials OF sterile solu-
ton OF sodium citrate are supplied
/ by the departments OF health OF
many states 10 practicing physl-
/ clans free OF charge
The best blood TO get comes from
a person who is In the convalescent
/ stage OF the disease Five cubic
| centlmeters or one-sixth ounce OF
convalescent measles serum viii
/ protect a child from measles. II
this convAlescent serum is not avail
/ able. then the blood OF a person
/ who has recovered from measles
one 20 Eve years previously is next
best. More Of this blood Is re
| quired- And II the blood is not
available, then the blood OF one OF
the parents or any other adult who
has had the disease in childhood
can be used.
A person only rarely has measles
twice. Once gives immunity. The
epIdemics generally begin around
Christmas and extend TO spring
The peak of an epidemic is usually
reached In late February or early
March. But cases occur all the
year round, and II Is wise TO be on
the watch as soon as school begins.
There were an exceptional number
OF cases throughout the United
States last year.
We cannot emphasize too strongly
that parents should make every ef-
fort 10 keep their children from con-
tracing the disease. particularly
children under six years OF age
Also special pains should be taken
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