The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-14

officer during the summer months that enables him to carry on Q campaign against the diseases of children for such diseases spread more rapidly when children are grouped together. On the other hand, when children are assembled in groups an i'll child can be quick ly noticed and be segregated from the group without closing the school. He warned parents and all in charge of children such as schoSi physi- clans and nurses to watch for pos- sible early symptoms such as run ming noses and sore throats as these may indicate beginning dis ease.
 Protection
 Boards or education throughout the state should require complete protection against smallpox by re- quiring all school children to be vac- cinated as they enter school for the first time. Health authorities are away that one case of smallpox ap- bearing among group of unprotect- ed children or adults can SOW the seed of anoutbreak or epidemic. It is not comfortable feeling when one considers that over one hundred of our Connecticut towns do not re- quire immunization of children against smallpox as they enter school. It is fortunate indeed that many parents do this voluntarily in order to give their children this protection. We congratulate our larg- CT cities and town that do require protection or children against small pox.
 Diphtheria is @ disease which has always shown a rapid increase in the fall soon after school begins. Health officers and physicians have now for many years urged immunization against diphtheria and parents have responded with enthusiasm so that remarkable results have been ob- tained. Instead of the four thousand or more cases of diphtheria annually, which Connecticut would have with out the protectio nof diphtheria toxoid, the state has only about two hundred cases annually. The sad about these two hundred cases is that between ten and twenty cases result in death. The fact tha he deahs have occurred among chill dren who have not been immunized against diphtheria forcefully en- phasizes the value of immunization. Health officials have been spreading the news durnig the summer months of the possibility of immunization against diphtheria so that no loss of days at scho olneed be caused by illness from this disease which is preVentable.
 Immunization Is possible against certain other diseases, such as whooping cought and scarlet fever. Parents should ask their physicians about the use of such sera for their children's sake. Thousands of cases whooping cough and scarlet fever occur in Connecticut each year.
 Pneumonia Season
 Dr. Osborn mentioned the fact that the pneumonia season is ap- preaching and that this disease largely affects adults. Serum for certain types of pneumonia germs has caused the health officers no end of planning. Fortunately, the work done in the last six or seven years has brought accumulated re- suits, for over twenty laboratories in Connecticut have facilities for making microscopic examinations for pneumonia. This foresight has been boon to those in Connecti- cut who have suffered from pneu- monia because, following a labor asory examination made early in the case, the physician is able to diagnose the type of pneumonia as Type l, ?, 4, s, 2, 8, a specific pneumonia germ is what we know causing the illness; then if the serum can be given patient. Since the general use of sera, the mortal ity rate has been decreased by more than 50 per cent. The sooner the physician is called for any condi- ton which seems to be pneumonia, the better the chance that the pa- tinet will recover from the disease.