SCARLET FEVER

This fear of scarlet fever led to homes being quarantined.(1940) Picture from Dubuque courtesy of the Library of Congress.

SCARLET FEVER. Scarlet fever is caused by a form of streptococcus. The fever was given this name because of the yellowish red hue given to the cheeks of the face. The disease is more common in younger children and can spread from the cheeks to the entire body.

The incubation is from two to three days. Symptoms include sore throat, fever, headache, discolored tongue, chills and rash after the disease enters the bloodstream. This disease can also contribute to rheumatic fever and pneumonia. The rash usually fades after five days to three weeks after which the noninfectious upper layer of the skin sheds away. The throat can continue to be red and swollen for days after the rash has vanished.

Mild cases of scarlet fever can be treated with bed rest and something as simple as aspirin. Aspirin may not be recommended when treating children. The more serious cases which can be fatal, may require the use of an antibiotic, such as penicillin, which has made the fever less common over the years.

Information similar to the above appeared in 1922 in the Telegraph-Herald. Symptoms were clearly described by Dr. D. C. Steelsmith, city and county health officer. (1) The use of quarantines were urged in 1895. (2) Destruction of sputa by fire and the use of disinfectants was suggested as early as 1887. (3)

Even after the bacteria causing the disease was identified in the latter part of the 1800s, no effective treatment was available until the development of antibiotics. A typical medical response to the disease was:

            a. keep the bowels free by a free use of fruits, berries, and 
               cracked wheat,

            b. keep out the rash by the prevention of chilliness and loose-
               ness of bowels,

            c. keep down thirst and fever by acid drinks, lemonade, butter-
               milk

            d. keep the room cool and well ventilated,

            e. if there is a tendency to debility, add some meat, poultry, and
               soups with bread crust to the diet

            f. in great hear of the skin, sponge it frequently with tepid
               water
                                 (Hall's Health at Home, 1872) (4)

In 1945 cases of scarlet fever, across the State of Iowa, rose from 389 cases in January to 718 in February. The disease was not centralized in any section of the state. (5) In 1946 local health officials reported thirteen cases of scarlet fever. This was compared to seven in the same month of 1945. (6) In January, 1947 health officials reported 23 cases. (7) This declined to 14 during February of 1948. (8)

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Source:

1. "Scarlet Fever," Telegraph-Herald, September 24, 1922, p. 5

2. "Scarlet Fever," The Dubuque Herald, February 26, 1895, p. 6

3. "The Use of Germicides," Dubuque Sunday Herald, September 25, 1887, p. 3

4. Swedlund, Alan C. and Donta, Alison K., Scarlet Fever Epidemics of the Nineteenth Century; A Case of Evolving Pathogenic Virulence? Online: https://people.umass.edu/swedlund/ScarletFever.pdf

5. "Scarlet Fever Gains in Iowa," Telegraph-Herald, March 7, 1944, p. 3

6. "Scarlet Fever Cases Reported," Telegraph-Herald, March 12, 1946, p. 3

7. "Disease Total High in Month," Telegraph-Herald, March 5, 1948, p. 3

8. "Disease Cases Almost Double," Telegraph-Herald, March 16, 1948, p. 10