Babies - Contagious Diseases : Catching, Spread

The Mother and Her Child
by William S. Sadler, M.D., Lena K. Sadler, M.D.

(Page 28 of 43)

Never under any circumstances knowingly expose a child to any of the so-called "childhood diseases." The old method of "have the child get them as quickly as possible and get over them," has laid the foundation for many chronic disorders later in life. For instance, eye troubles and running ears are often the sequelae of measles; chronic coughs, tuberculosis and bronchitis frequently follow in the wake of whooping cough; heart disorders follow diphtheria, while kidney disease often follows in the course of scarlet fever.

Catching Disease

Under all circumstances keep the children away from these dangerous childhood diseases. When a contagious disease breaks out in a school and the little fellow has, along with the other pupils, been exposed to it, begin at once systematically to keep the nose and throat very clean with such well-known sprays as the camphor-menthol-albolene spray, which should be used in the nose morning, noon, and night. Throat gargles, such as Listerine, or equal parts of alcohol and water, help to keep the throat in condition to resist the microbe invasion.

During this anxious time of patient waiting the bowels should move every day and the food should be cut down at least a third. In other words, moderate eating and a clean bowel tract go a long way toward keeping a child well and preparing him for an attack of disease. The skin at this time should be kept well bathed and free from the accumulated skin secretions which clog up the sweat glands and otherwise lower the vitality.

Stuffy, close rooms, where the ventilation is poor, not only harbor disease germs, but also lower the vitality of the child. Never take your child into a household where there is any form of sickness, for it may turn out to be a contagious disease - no matter how it began, it must be remembered that many contagious diseases, in their earlier stages, much resemble a simple cold.

Measles come on rather gradually, and one might suspect that the child was simply suffering from a severe cold in the head.

Scarlet fever usually begins with a sore throat, while chickenpox has very few initial symptoms; usually the first thing noted is the rash itself. Diphtheria begins with a sore throat, while whooping cough begins very insidiously.

The most important thing is to keep children away from people who are sick, and if a contagious or infectious disease is prevalent in the neighborhood discourage the mingling of the children in hot, badly ventilated rooms. Put a stop to "parties" and all similar gatherings. Let the little folks have good books, plenty of toys, in a well-ventilated room, and the more they keep to themselves at this particular time the better they are off.

The Spread of Contagion

It is possible to "stamp out" any known disease if only proper cooperation takes place and certain sanitary regulations are maintained. It is within the memory of most of our readers when yellow fever was put to flight and the cause of malaria discovered. We learned to screen our camps and no longer did our soldiers contract the fever; while the simple covering of stagnant pools with oil, together with proper screening, stopped the ravages of malaria.

Likewise, many of the woeful tragedies of infant summer diarrhea and dysenteries have been tracked to the so-called "innocent house fly." We have all learned - only recently - that if we move the manure pile once in seven days the hatching of the maggots may be prevented, and so millions, yes trillions, of these carriers of disease may never be born.

If there is one sweet morsel above another for this fly pest it is tubercular sputum or feces, and from these feasts they go directly to walk over baby's hands, crawl over his cheek, and wash their feet in his milk. Proper screening will prevent such contamination of food, such opportunities for carrying disease.

Sunshine, hot water, soap, and fresh air, are the best ordinary every-day disinfectants. It is possible so to conduct the treatment of a contagious or infectious disease that no other member of the family may contract it. A few simple but very important hints are:

1. Door knobs are one of the very greatest avenues of contagion - disinfect them.

2. Cleanse the hands both before and after attending to the sick; first, scrub with stiff brush, soap and water, then dip in alcohol.

3. An epidemic of sore eyes may be stopped by absolute "hand disinfection" and using separate towels.

4. Do not go visiting when you have a "common cold."

5. Kissing is one of the best ways of spreading many diseases.

6. In cases of contagious and infectious diseases completely cover all excretions from the body with lime.

7. Country homes would be as healthy as city homes if the privies and stables were screened.

8. In the country, the well water should be boiled; one infected well may be the cause of the death of a score of beautiful children.

Incubation Periods

The incubation period of scarlet fever is from one to seven days.

Measles, ten to twenty days. Whooping cough, from one to two weeks. Chicken-pox, fourteen to sixteen days. German measles, seven to twenty-one days. Diphtheria, any time from one to twelve days. Mumps, from one week to three weeks.

Of all the diseases, measles and chicken-pox are probably the most contagious. In scarlet fever and diphtheria, close contact is necessary for exposure, while whooping cough can actually be contracted in the open air, young babies being particularly susceptible.

About the Author

Dr. William S. Sadler M.D. was a well-known American psychiatrist and college teacher in the school of medicine at the University of Chicago. For over sixty years he practiced his profession in Chicago, thirty-three years being associated in practice with his wife, Dr Lena Kellogg Sadler. The doctors were pioneers in the research on the mysterious Urantia Papers.