Measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and whooping cough by Weaver
Measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and whooping cough by Weaver is a concise public-health guide written in the early 20th century. It outlines the causes, spread, recognition, prevention, and basic care of the most common childhood contagions. The book opens with shared principles: each disease is caused by a specific germ; people vary in susceptibility; carriers and early, often unrecognized stages drive spread; and isolation, hygiene, and, where available, vaccination or
testing help prevent outbreaks. Measles is shown as extremely contagious, spreading via respiratory secretions before the rash, with Koplik spots, a catarrhal phase, and risks like pneumonia and ear infection; care is supportive, and passive immunity from convalescent blood can blunt illness. Diphtheria is caused by a toxin‑producing bacillus that forms throat membrane and can damage heart and nerves; early antitoxin saves lives, quarantine lasts until cultures are clear, and the Schick test with toxin‑antitoxin injections builds lasting immunity. Scarlet fever, due to a streptococcus, spreads through secretions and sometimes milk, begins suddenly with sore throat, fever, a bright red “sandpapery” rash, strawberry tongue, and swollen neck glands; complications include ear disease, nephritis, and heart injury; prevention uses isolation plus the Dick test and toxin immunization, with supportive care and occasional convalescent serum. Chicken pox features crops of superficial blisters mainly on the trunk, a long incubation, few serious complications, and is distinguished from smallpox by mixed stages and distribution; isolation continues until all scabs fall. Whooping cough brings paroxysmal cough with a whoop, greatest danger in infants from pneumonia and convulsions; spread is via cough droplets, a vaccine may lessen severity, and treatment focuses on fresh air, easing paroxysms, nutrition, and supportive measures like an abdominal binder. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Weaver, George H. (George Howitt), 1866-1947 |
|---|---|
| Editor | Fishbein, Morris, 1889-1976 |
| Editor | Haldeman-Julius, E. (Emanuel), 1888-1951 |
| Title | Measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and whooping cough |
| Original Publication | Girard: Haldeman-Julius Company, 1924. |
| Series Title | Little blue book health series |
| Series Title | Little blue book ; no. 136 |
| Note | Author's middle initial given as "E" on front cover. |
| Credits | Tim Miller, Franciszek Skawiński and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | RJ: Medicine: Pediatrics |
| Subject | Communicable diseases in children |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 78158 |
| Release Date | Mar 10, 2026 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 186 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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