Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-15
Childhood
Best Time
For Measles
BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING

MEASLES is a great spring
4v1 disease. II is probably the
most universal disease in the
world.
In one out Of million cases IL
is fairly serfotts1,tf1e rest of the
time il is a mild disease and
might as well be gotten over in
infancy.
There are some physicians and
public health officials who run
around like chickens with their
heads cut off and try TO prevent
measles.
In the first place you might as
well try TO prevent rain, snow
and sun, and in the second place.
I think it is a good thing for
child to have measles and get it
over.
The only serious cases of
measles are those which occur
in institutions where children
are in groups, such as orphan
asylums and boarding schools.
We had a terrible time with
measles in the army in 1917 and
1918, because we didn't realize
how cross infections made seri-
Gus complications.
The serious complication OF
measles is broncho-pneumonia
which apparently comes from
the inhalation Of cough droplets
and sputum dropletS from other
measles patients.
MEASLES begins as a coryza
A'A in other words IL comes
like common cold a runny
nose, red eyes. a cough and
bronchitis, and it isn't until four
or five days that the eruption
breaks out and the true nature
of the condition is revealed.
If the child is segregated at
home in a room by itself from
the very first period Of infection,
very few complications are likely
TO rise and the disease will
probably run a very mild course.
In a certain number of cases
an infection of the middle ear
(otitis medal occurs but this is
not especially serious if properly
treated.
The reason that I believe that
all children might just as we'll
have measles 10 begin with is
that when il affects adults, it is
very serious.
In our army experience we
found that soldiers from the city
were hardly ever affected, but
when we got a new draft OF
country boys, they came down
with measles in large numbers
and when they had TO be treated
in hospital wards or in barracks
cross infection was very prev
alent.
MEASLES in adults can b
WI very pulling. l remem
Der a patient. a nurse girl wh'
came from a country district
who had nursed a child through
measles and who was sent Il
me because she was supposed
TO have a cold.
1 examined her daily, wa
quite convinced that she hat
nothing but a cold. but she in
sisted that she had caught III
measles from the child.
1t wasn't until two week
after she first got sick that tn
eruption broke out and when
saw her that day she said:
"You can't say now I haven
got the measles"
The treatment OF measles
still in the primitive stage. TIL
eyes should be washed out wit
boric acid, the skin should b
soothed and steam kettl
should be used in the room {
help the bronchitis. but ther
is no specific treatment.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
G. L. X: Will digitalis take
over a period of 10 months, on
capsule day. prove injurious I
the heart and other organs {
the body?
Answer: You do not tell ho'
much is in the capsules. a gres
many people need to take dig
tails daily. However digitalis
the kind of drug, the administr;
ton of which should be supel
inteded by doctor.
F. Y. C.: What is the cause
diabetes? Is IL true that a pc
son will 60 blind from il? Wh'
!. Is the cause Of skin being Vel