DIPHTHERIA DANGER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 962, 3 May 1930, Page 5

DIPHTHERIA DANGER

,EARLY TREATMENT URGED BY HEALTH EXPERTS A TRIUMPH OF MEDICINE The advent of wintry conditions results usually in an increased iui cidence of certain infectious diseases dangerous to young life, and among ! t-hese diphtheria takes a prominent j place, says a paper contributed by the Department of Health. Diphtheria is a wet-cold weather dis- | ease. The influence of climate is j confirmer; by its rare incidence in the I tropics. Dampness favours sore I throats and colds, and may thus open i a way for the invasion of the bacillus lor germ of diphtheria, which finds lodgment in the throat or nose of a j susceptible person, rapidly multiplies, . roducing a greyish membrane and a poison or toxin which is absorbed in the blood. The germs enter the body through the mouth or nose. They may be transferred by kissing, or by receiving the mouth spray thrown out in coughing, sneezing and talking, or they may be carried to the lips by the use of a common drinking cup or other utensils, or by fingers soiled by touching some object which an infected person has just touched with fingers soiled from his own lips or his infected handkerchief. It is very difficult for a person who has these germs in his mouth to avoid con- ; laminating his fingers with them. Sometimes those who work in dairies are “carriers” or have the disease. They may sneeze or cough into the milk pail, or the fingers of the milker may transfer the germs to the milk and thus cause an epidemic of diphtheria. Hence the need for extreme care in handling milk, not only in its production and distribution, but also in the home. GENERAL ADVICE

If your child or other member of the family is sick with a sore throat, call your doctor. If it is diphtheria, delay is dangerous. If it looks like diphtheria the doctor wall administer anti-toxin, take a culture from the patient’s throat or nose and isolate the patient. Do not insist on waiting for a culture if the doctor advises antitoxin. The delay may be fatal. There are few diseases where early treatment is so efficacious and so fraught with hope as in diphtheria. There is no disease also in which early diagnosis and prompt treatment are more essential. We have at hand a powerful antidote in anti-toxin, one of the greatest triumphs of preventive medicine. Were it possible to apply tin's remedy in sufficient doses and early enough in all cases, mortality from diphtheria would almost vanish. As it is, the disease has been robbed of much of its former terror. The doctor and medical officer of health are required by law' to perform certain duties for the protection of the community, and it is the duty of parents to comply with these requirements.

The period of exclusion from school of children suffering from diphtheria, as laid down by regulation, is for at least three weeks from the date of onset, of the disease and until a certificate is furnished by the medical attendant that the period of isolation prescribed has been completed. The period of exclusion from school of children exposed to infection (contacts) is (1) if patient treated at home, until disinfection of house has been carried out: (2) if patient removed to hospital, until seven days after disinfection of house subsequent to removal; (”) in either case, until a certificate of clearance has been received from an inspector of health.