Milford chronicle., 1961-12-08
Cultural Patterns
Affecting Childhood
Diseases


municable diseases has been af-
fected by changing cultural pat
terms, three University of Pennsyl-
vania physicians reported recently.
Children are contracting mea-
sles, mumps and chickenpox at an
earlier age because of changes in
the American way of life, Drs.
Frank l.. Babbott Jr., Bruce M.
Rodenberger and Theodore II.
Ingalls,. Philadelphia, said in the
current Nov. 11) Journal of the
American Medical association.
The higher incidence of these
diseases among younger children
reflects certain features of the So
cial environment which make for
earlier exposure than usually Oc-
Cured during the first decade or
two of this century," the authors
said, adding:
can increase in the childhood
pOpulation....-is one such feature,
as is the marked trend toward ur-
ban and suburban living. Even
rural areas are no longer isolated
and childhood contacts are greatly
expanded through consolidated
schools and central areas for shop
ping and recreation"
The three physicians studied the
occurrence of measles, m um mps,
chickenpOx and German measles
among 935 boys of about 13 to IS
years of age at ST. Marks School,
Southboro, Mass, a private board
ing school, by analyzing health
records from 1885 to 1859.
On the basis of this study, and
other data, they concluded that
disease trends indicate measles,
mumps and chickenpox will con-
tinue to decline in adolescent and
adult segments of the population"
However, they said, "a decrease in
the more important, but less in
fictitious disease of rubella Ger
man measles will depend upon
development of preventive mea-
sures."
The study indicated that the in
cidence of chickenpox, measles,
and mumps differed from German
measles In several important re-
Spects, the authors said. The num-
ber of boys who had had chicken
pOx and measles by the time they
graduated remained relatively con-
stant at about 80 per cent through
out the study period, they said In
recent years, they said, nearly all
cases of chickenpox and measles
occurred before the boys entered
school,
Mumps also demonstrated a fair
ly uniform attack rate of about |
so per cent by graduation with |
very little Illness occurring after |
entry to the school, they said.
With respect to German measles, |
16 per cent of boys graduating be-
tween 1885 and 1889 gave a his
tory of this disease before entering
school, whereas % per cent of |
boys graduating in the period
1868 had similar history, the |
authors reported. Although tn i S
showed that more boys in recent |
years were contracting German
measles at an earlier age, they |
said, the per cent that had the dis
ease by graduation actually de-
creased from 40 per cent to 40 per
cent during the quarter century
under study.
The findings indicate there has
been a general, if not always con-
sistent, decline in the percentage
of boys susceptible to the four
diseases on entering school, the
researchers said. This decreasing
percentage of entering susceptible
students supports the conclusion
that measles, mumps, and chicken
pox have already moved from high
school age to pre-adolescent age
groups and that German measles
may be beginning to follow suit,
they said.
'NOw that most major epidemic |
disease can be kept within man
ageable limits, increasing atten-
tiOn is being given to lesser in
fections, and this requires a better |
understanding of their behavior in |
general and selected populations"
the authors commented.
cit may be of some academic
interest.to know the incidence |
of German measles among school I
or college boys. However, it lis
much more important to be sure
their sisters and future wives be-
come immune during childhood |
rather than postpone this expert
ence until adulthOod, with possibly
disastrous results"
German measles during pregnan-
cy can be harmful to the unborn
child.