Measles, Smallpox, Other Diseases in Durham, April 1, 1923

Report 138 Cases in Past 10 Days. . . Measles Continue to Hold Own—19 Smallpox in 20 Days

The measles situation in Durham shows no signs of abatement according to health department statistics taken from the records of the past 10 days, 138 cases of the disease have been reported in that period. Fifty of these reported with white children, while 88 were of negroes. According to health department officials, there is a slight increase in (the) number of white children having the disease, but not as many negro children have had the disease in the past 10 days as in the same period previous.

A slight increase has been noted in the number of cases of whooping cough. Fifteen cases, 14 white and one colored, have been reported during the past 10 days.

Chicken pox has shown considerable decrease, six cases reported during the past 10 days to the 21 cases during the 10 days previous. Local health officials are concerned over the continued appearance of smallpox cases. Nineteen cases have been reported in the past 20 days, nine of which were in the past 10 days. The department urges vaccination to all persons, as smallpox is no longer a quarantinable disease, and vaccine treatment is the only protective measure the public can take.

During the past 10 days one case each of diphtheria and tuberculosis have been reported.

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, April 1, 1923