CHAPTEE XLV 



THE MICROBE OF SCARLET FEVER 



SCARLET fever is the child's disease. Adults 

 may and do have it, but it prevails so much more 

 among children that it may properly be called a 

 disease of childhood. 



The disease is caused by an exceedingly minute 

 microbe. This tiny being floats in the air on par- 

 ticles of dust, or otherwise, and is therefore all the 

 more infectious. Infection may take place not 

 only by the usual modes of contact, but also by 

 breathing the tainted air. 



Once in the system, the germ multiplies in great 

 numbers, and generates the poison peculiar to this 

 fever. This poison quickly permeates the entire 

 system. Within four days comes the onset of the 

 disease. All its symptoms are well pronounced; 

 headache, sore throat, vomiting, fever. Scarlet 

 eruptions appear the second day, first on the 

 breast, then over the entire body. 



As the patient becomes convalescent, fine scales 

 form and cleave from the eruptions. These scales 

 contain thousands, perhaps millions, of germs, and 

 are a ready, special means of spreading the dis- 

 ease. But the patient may communicate the dis- 

 ease to others at any moment from the time it be- 

 gins until the scaling entirely disappears. 



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