EPIDEMIC OF GERMAN MEASLES IN A CITY ADJACENT TO AN ARMY CANTONMENT

Abstract

Much comment has been heard on the prevalence of measles in Army cantonments. German measles as a factor in disease incidence in troops has been more or less overlooked, with probably serious results. It is common knowledge that in the moving of troops, in the present selective draft and in the concentration of the National Guard for reasssembling to proper training stations and to complete permanent organizations, certain epidemiologic features of diseases prevalent among them have been overlooked along with the prescribed methods of interstate quarantine. As a result, diseases like measles and German measles have occurred in Army cantonments and have in many instances produced an increase and even caused epidemics of these diseases in adjacent cities. The absolute necessity for proper diagnosis and differentiation of the infectious diseases, particularly measles and German measles, if only for control, was evidently at first disregarded. THE OUTBREAK Beginning in October, 1917,