CHAPTEE XIII. 



CROUP AND DIPHTHERIA IN CHILDREN. 



If you should ask the mothers of the land what two 

 diseases above all others they would like to have stamped 

 out of existence, the answer would come, ^^ croup and 

 diphtheria." It is needless to describe the symptoms of 

 either of these diseases. Every mother knows them, 

 and every mother trembles when she hears the rasping 

 from the little cradle or hears her children complain of 

 sore throats. 



The possible fatality of the diseases is what causes 

 this fear. Probably not thirty per cent of the children 

 attacked by the croup, nor more than fifty per cent of 

 those seized with diphtheria, fail to recover. The fear 

 that her child may be one of the unfortunate number 

 terrorizes the mother. 



Both croup and diphtheria are microbe diseases as 

 well as all others. The reason that they have been con- 

 sidered dangerous is that they have been treated regard- 

 less of a thorough understanding of the disease. The 

 microbes of both diseases develop amazingly fast. There 

 is one microbe in the system to-day, to-morrow there are 

 millions, and within a few, hours longer the system is 

 teeming with microbes. In order to better understand 

 this fact let us examine both diseases separately and 

 carefully. 



Croup probably develops quicker than any other dis- 

 ease, not excepting cholera or yellow fever. Under cer- 

 tain conditions microbes produce certain effects. They 

 are in a child's system, not necessarily working immedi- 

 ate injury, but waiting for a favorable opportunity to 

 develop further. The weakest portion of the system is 

 first attacked. Finally a sudden change in temperature 



