MEASLES
</ —■ SOME MEMORIES AND' PRESCRIPTIONS [Written by F.M.H., for the ‘■Evening Star.’] I have just returned from “ weekending ” at a home wliere the Young Master, boasting three, summers, is confined to bed with the prevalent maculate complaint, and where I adopted the role of reader, raconteur, and general entertainer, to. the little patient. In my intervals of absence from his darkened “ sun ” porch I have searched all the available works of reference for information as to the causes, symptoms, and treatment of the disease, and I have acquired a great deal of information, some of which is not without interest.
Firstly, as to the word itself, Webster gjves the derivation as from the German mazern, through the Dutch mazelen, meaning “little spots.” 1 forget now whether Nesfiekl lists the word as one having plural form but singular meaning; however, niceties of grammar were ignored by my young charge, who, after inspection of his torso, told me: “ Yes! I have got the measles, and aren’t there , a lot of them?” ■ ■ The disease is stated to be due to a “ filter-passing virus ’’—whatever that may be—and to be spread by contact “ through the minute droplets coughed 'or sneezed out by infected persons.” 1 have heard' of a case—unauthentic—of transmission from family A. to family B. in the particles of fluff blown over the fence from blankets “ airing ” on Mrs A.’s clothes-line.
My thoughts go back to my own experience of measles, more years ago than I care to count ; of the ill-venti-lated, darkened room, with a sheet soaked in carbolic solution hung outside the door, of the “ cures ” considered infallible by their advocates. The first visitor to the house was, unfortunately for me, Aunt Euphemia, whose treatment was sulphur and treacle “ad nauseam ” —and l so, indeed, was it administered. Later on the scene came genial Uncle Joe, who affirmed that this would do more harm than good, and insisted on a change to “ the only medicine I ever take ” —a famous brand born in 1820. Failing that, any other brand would do, but the quantity required must be as liberal as-was compatible with the price in those good old days. If I remember correctly, it was 3s 6d per quart bottle then. Simultaneously with the change of treatment the recovery set in, and my respect for the virtues of Uncle Joe’s prescription was. permanently established. It is estimated that fewer than 10 persons in every 1,0Q0.0f the population go through life without contracting measles, .so that the chances of escaping approach the probability of drawing a prize in the Calcutta sweep. As a compensation it is, to quote a medical dictionary, “ most unusual for a person to contract the disease a - second time, cases where this is stated'to have occurred being frequently attributable to incorrect diagnosis.” Here, then is a miracle beyond comprehension. I had the complaint, let us say, 30 years ago; my body got busy on the production of anti-toxin and some infinitely minute changes took place in my blood stream. In the intervening years I have not felt in any way different. The most refined methods of micro-chemistry could not detect any difference in iny blood. Yet, .after three days’ constant exposure to! this virulent -virus, I suffer no ill-effects. It might be safer not to congratulate’> myself prematurely, though, as my authority also states, “ symptoms may not appear until 10 days or more after infection.” , , Neighbouring mothers all recollect harrowing experiences ,of past, epidemics. There is' the pathetic story of Mrs S., who was taken away for her “ sixth,’’ leaving the other five all “ down with them,” and the eldest only eight. Mrs T. remembers when little Harry “got them,” - the night the family shifted to the' lonely backblock farm they had bought, and her struggles to dry out blankets that had got soaked in the wagon, and to .keep a fire going with wet green wood. Mrs W. can laugh now over her efforts to induce the malady in the whole family when Joan developed spots. She put her four all in the same bed to spread the infection and get them all through it quickly. Out of sheer perversity, she says, the other three remained 100 per cent, fit and well. Joan was permitted to get up after the usual 10 days, but two days later Stuart “ sickened for them,” and the other tu;o were put into bed with him, but again without immediate result. Poor Mrs W. had a full eight weeks nursing her patients. • , . 1 . Latent reports i indicate a happier position in regard to the present epidemic, and some consolation may be derived from the' following considerations :—First, that the disease is rarely serious if simple rules of, treatment are followed; and, secondly, that when the patient recovers lie is probably safe from an attack of this disease for the rest of his life.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 25677, 28 December 1945, Page 2
Word Count
812MEASLES Evening Star, Issue 25677, 28 December 1945, Page 2
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