PREVENTION

Prevention of measles is difficult because the most contagious period is that which precedes the eruption. At this time the child is usually supposed to have a cold and mixes freely with other children. To prevent the further spread, each patient must be isolated until fever has been absent two or three days. Children who have not had measles may be allowed to go about freely for a week after exposure, and then should be isolated until 15 days after exposure. Fortunately we are now able to prevent measles in young children even after exposure. This is accomplished by drawing a little blood from one who has recently recovered from the disease and injecting it into the exposed one. This usually prevents the disease entirely or at any rate renders it mild if it occurs. Blood drawn from a parent and injected into the child soon after exposure renders the disease mild. The drawing of the required amount of blood is devoid of any danger.