become aggravated, the temperature often rising to 105° or more, and
there is headache, thirst, furred tongue, and soreness of the throat,
upon which red patches similar to those on the surface of the body may
be observed. These symptoms usually decline as soon as the rash has
attained its maximum, and often there occurs a sudden and extensive fall
of temperature, indicating that the crisis of the disease has been
reached. In favourable cases convalescence proceeds rapidly, the patient
feeling perfectly well even before the rash has faded from the skin.
Measles may, however, occur in a very malignant form, in which the
symptoms throughout are of urgent character, the rash but feebly
developed, and of dark purple hue, while there is great prostration,
accompanied with intense catarrh of the respiratory or gastro-intestinal
mucous membrane. Such cases are rare, occurring mostly in circumstances
of bad hygiene, both as regards the individual and his surroundings. On
the other hand, cases of measles are often of so mild a form throughout
that the patient can scarcely be persuaded to submit to treatment.
Measles as a disease derives its chief importance from the risk, by no
means slight, of certain complications which are apt to arise during its
course, more especially inflammatory affections of the respiratory
organs. These are most liable to occur in the colder seasons of the year
and in very young and delicate children. It has been already stated that
irritation of the respiratory passages is one of the symptoms
characteristic of measles, but that this subsides with the decline of
the eruption. Not unfrequently, however, these symptoms, instead of
abating, become aggravated, and bronchitis of the capillary form (see
BRONCHITIS), or pneumonia, generally of the diffuse or lobular variety
(see PNEUMONIA), supervene. By far the greater proportion of the
mortality in measles is due to its complications, of which those just
mentioned are the most common, but which also include inflammatory
affections of the larynx, with attacks resembling croup, and also
diarrhoea assuming a dysenteric character. Or there may remain as direct
results of the disease chronic ophthalmia, or discharge from the ears
with deafness, and occasionally a form of gangrene affecting the tissues
of the mouth or cheeks and other parts of the body, leading to
disfigurement and gravely endangering life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account