Milford chronicle., 1958-04-04
AP NewsfeatureS

Al
INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS, often
loosely called jaundice, is a dis
ease we are hearing more and more
about. This is not because 1t is a
new disease; it is only that we
know more about it. We know now
how to recognize it, how to dag
nose it for sure with laboratory
tests.
Hepatitis is a disease of the liv-
of the liver. One of the functions
of the liver is to make bile, a
substance which is. poured into
the intestinal tract and helps with
the digestion of fat. In hepatitis
the part of the liver that makes
bile is infiamed. AS result the
bile backs up in the bile ducts and
doesn't get into the intestine where
it belongs. Bile is the substance
that gives bowel movements their
brown color, so one of the symp-
toms of this disease is clay-colOred
stools. When the bile backs up it
is absorbed into the blood stream
and carried all around the body.
The deep brown bile tinges> the
whole body yellowish color. This
yellow color is called jaundice-
hence the popular name of the dis
ease.
Symptoms
There are other diseases which
cause jaundice so it's not very
accurate name for this special dis
ease. The first suggestions of the
laundice are seen in the whites of
he eyes which develop a yellowish
cast. Since there is more bile in the
blood than there should be it has
o get out of the body somewhere.
it is excreted into the urine giving
a deep brown color.
These three signs, clay colored
;tools, a yellow tinge to the skin
md especially to the whites OF the
yes and brown urine suggest the
disease infectious hepatiris. Along
With these signs the patient usual
runs q fever, feels nauseated,
,ften has spells of vomiting and
Ii general is sick.
In children the disease is often
luite mild, but it is apt 10 be more
severe in adults. When the disease
severe the diagnosis is usually
luite clear without the need of
laboratory test However, when it
5 very mild one cannot be sure
hat it is infectious hepatitis with
,ut performing a blood test. The
'lood test makes the diagnosis def
lite-it is, or it is not, infectious
iepatitis.
,et it from some one else, but the
incubation period is long, any
where from to weeks. The virus
hat causes infectious hepatitis is
resent in the stool of the patient
nth the disease and it is trans
litted to other people by contain
nation of food supplies with waste
roducts-the same way typhoid
ever and dysentery are transmit
ed.
The acute symptoms of the dis
ase do not as a rule last very
oDg but it may take long time
Or the damage done to the liver
0 be completely healed During
II this time, sometimes months,
he patient is not acutely sick, but
just doesn't feel well. Also he
infectious to other people since
still harbors the virus in his
Intestinal tract.
No Miracles
While we now know a lot more
bout this disease than in years
asst we still have no miracle medi-
inc to cure it. The patient must
put to bed until the tests show
is free of the virus. He is given
special diet, very low in fat
ince he doesn't have the normal
mount of bile in his intestinal
raCt TO digest fat
We cannot cure the disease
uickly but we can prevent it in
xposed members of a family. In
ection of gamma globulin, given
uring the incubation period will
rotect exposed people for several
nonths
Like many other infectious dis
,ases infectious hepatitis leaves a
ife long immunity. Second attacks