Measles Cases from 1838 to NOW

[Guest guest]

some info I share with my online classes

Measles Cases from 1838 to NOW

I am going to quote from a variety of sources

from 1838 to 1986 to show you what is said about

measles so you can compare and see the

differences. Now they have made measles a

'killer'. Did it look like a killer in the

articles before the vaccine was out? You tell me.

Sheri

PS This [..] means text omitted in this area.

*******

1838 Hering, Constantine (father of American Homeopathy)

http://www.homeoinfo.com/02_history/people/hering.php (about Hering)

Homeopathic Domestic Physician

Part 1 in 1835 and Part 2 in 1838

Measles

Measles are usually preceded by catarrhal

symptoms, such as profuse watery flow from the

eyes and nose; short, dry and distressing cough;

the eyes have a peculiar watery appearance, and become more or less inflamed.

The fever at times becomes very high; nausea

and vomiting often set in, and there is pain n

the pit of the stomach on pressure. The eyes are

more sensitive to light; the cough more violent

and accompanied by hoarseness and difficulty of

breathing, and a feeling of tightness across the chest.

In from two to five days the eruption appears

as small red spots, of an irregular shape, the

size of a lentil and slightly raised above the

surface. The eruption makes its appearance n the

throat about twenty-four hours before it is seen

externally on the skin; here it is usually first

seen about the head, near the borders of the

hair, and on the temples; then on the forehead,

face and neck, from whence it spread to the trunk and limbs.

If you press your finger upon a single spot,

the redness will disappear, but after taking off

the finger, the redness will return, first, in

the middle and thence spread to the margin; in

other similar diseases, the redness returns in

the reverse order, first on the margin and then in the middle.

The red spots generally run together in

patches; in about five days from its first

appearance it begins to die away, and gradually

disappears in the same order as it advanced. The

cuticle (thin skin) sometimes comes off in small

bran-like scales, and the cough and other catarrhal symptoms yield.

Aconitum, the chief medicine in this complaint,

is especially indicated when the fever is

violent, with hot, dry skin; heat in the head;

giddiness; redness of the eyes and dread of light, and great weakness.

Pulsatilla, when the catarrhal symptoms

predominate, - when the eruption is tardy in

coming out; if it fails to produce an abatement,

Sulphur should be given, and afterwards Aconitum again.

Belladonna, when the throat becomes sore,

attended with thirst, difficulty of swallowing,

shooting and pricking pains in the throat; and

also when there is dry, barking or spasmodic

cough, worse at night, with rattling of mucus;

likewise in those cases where the eruption does

not appear, but there is headache and great

inflammation of the eyes; congestion towards the head.

Euphrasia, when the catarrhal symptoms, cough

and inflammation of the eyes, with great watering, are very prominent.

Ipecacuanha is most serviceable in arresting

the vomiting; also when there is oppression of the chest.

Bryonia, when the eruption is imperfectly

developed, or when there is congestion to the

chest, with shooting pains or stitches, increased

by taking a deep inspiration; and violent dry

cough. Sulphur in cases of congestion or

inflammation of the lungs. Arsenicum will be

required if the sickness or vomiting and

oppression of the chest remain after the use of

Ipecacuanha. In the severe cases, with typhoid

symptoms, Arsenicum, Bryonia, Phosphorus and Rhus will be useful.

Measles frequently leave behind diseases more

dangerous than themselves; consequently great

care is required in the after treatment.

In scrofulous children, troublesome swelling

and inflammation of the glands, especially those

of the neck, are apt to occur; or the eyes may be

affected with diseases, difficult to cure, and

the foundation be laid for consumption of the lungs.

A form of disease known as German measles has

been somewhat prevalent in this country during

the past few years. The affection is not serious,

and requires according to the symptoms the same

remedies as the true measles. It is to be

distinguished from measles by the appearance of

the eruption, which is frequently somewhat

similar to that occurring in scarlet fever. The

absence too of bronchitis is notable, and the

mildness of the entire attack is conspicuous.

From scarlet fever an attack of German measles

is recognized by the slight degree of fever and

particularly by the presence of catarrhal

symptoms, which are absent in the former disease.

For the cough which frequently remains after

measles, Bryonia, Sulphur, Causticum, Hyoscyamus,

Drosera, and other remedies, recommended under

?Cough?, are serviceable. Swelling of the glands

in the neck requires Arnica, Dulcamara or

Mercurius. Burning and itching of the skin, Nux

vomica, Sulphur and Arsenicum. Tenderness of the skin, Mercurius.

When measles are prevailing as an epidemic, the

administration of Pulsatilla, every two or three

days, on the first appearance of catarrhal

symptoms, should be disease be taken, may render it milder.

******

1908 Benson, A.R. Homeopathic Nursery Manual

REUEL A. BENSON, M. D. 8 West 19th St., New York. April, 1908.

Preface

This book was originally written for the use of

my own patients and nurses, among whom I have

found a constant demand for such information as

the book contains. It has been largely the

outgrowth of lectures delivered in the Flower

Hospital Training School for Nurses.

An effort has been made to write clearly and

concisely, and to avoid the common error of

giving too much technical information. This is

especially true of the section on care during

illness, as it is my belief that a human life is

too valuable to be trusted in any but skilled

hands. The therapeutic treatment is, therefore, purposely very meagre.

The book is intended for the use of homeopathic

physicians and homeopathic families and all those

who believe with me that a child who has been

properly fed and reared under the homeopathic

regime, is physically better equipped for life than any other.

Measles (rubeola)

The onset of measles is decidedly different

from that of the diseases just described. The

first symptoms to be noticed are a discharge from

the nose, usually attributed to a cold, and

soreness and inflammation of the eyes. There is a

slight rise of temperature (101° - 102°), and a

dry, troublesome cough. Headache is sometimes

present, but rarely vomiting. The child is almost

invariably cross and irritable, and cries at the

slightest provocation. During this time the

throat, if examined, appears dark red and

congested. Sometimes small white dots with a dark

bluish base (Koplik's spots) may be detected on

the inside of the cheeks if examination is made for them in the daylight.

About four days after the first symptoms are

noted the skin eruption appears. It is apt to be

seen first upon the chest and spreads rapidly

over the whole body, the temperature increasing

until the rash is fully developed. The rash is

dark red, almost coppery in appearance, and the

spots appear to be slightly elevated on the

surface of the skin. These spots run together,

but there are frequent areas of healthy skin, so

that the general appearance is mottled rather

than the diffused redness of scarlet fever. The

eruption becomes darker, almost purplish, and

fades slowly. There is usually itching of the skin.

The cough and nasal symptoms often increase and

cause much discomfort. The eyes remain sore and

severe inflammation of the conjunctiva may

result. The eruption remains for two or three

days, and the temperature falls rapidly as the

eruption fades. During the acute stage of the

disease there is frequently stomach or intestinal

disturbance, usually in the form of diarrhoea.

After the eruption fades, the skin peels, but the

flakes of skin are very fine and will not be

detected unless careful examination is made.

The eyes and ears are frequently infected in

measles, and serious inflammation of these organs

is to be expected. The most frequent

complications, however, are bronchitis and

pneumonia. Cough and temperature existing after

the eruption has disappeared should be regarded

with suspicion. The weakened lung tissue also

provides fertile soil for the tubercle bacilli,

and many cases of pulmonary tuberculosis are

traceable to an attack of measles. The lowered

vitality of the child after measles enables the

tubercle bacilli to obtain a strong foothold.

It is not impossible for an individual to have

more than one attack of measles, but oftentimes

one of these attacks is unrecognized German measles.

Nursing : The child should be kept in bed

during the attack, and care should be taken to

prevent a bright light from striking the eyes. It

is not necessary, however, to exclude fresh air,

so long as the ordinary precautions against

taking cold are observed, nor should the child be

kept uncomfortably warm, as is so often done.

The eyes should be cleansed of all discharge

with warm water, and the nasal passages kept as

free as possible. The skin may be anointed with

olive oil to prevent itching, or if this is not

effective, the skin may be dusted with powder.

The child may be given plenty of cool water to

drink, but a liquid diet should be insisted upon.

Bryonia may be given, a teaspoonful every hour,

during the first stages, especially if the cough

is dry, hard and troublesome, if there is much

headache and the eruption is slow in appearing.

Chamomilla should be administered in the same

way if the mental symptoms predominate, if there

is much irritability and fretfulness.

Arsenicum is indicated if there is gastric

irritability with loose movements, high fever, and excessive thirst.

It is of the utmost importance to allow a long

period of convalescence after measles. Many

children are allowed to go out before they are

entirely well and frequently contract diseases of

the lungs as a result. Perhaps there is no other

disease of childhood which leaves the patient's

vitality in such a lowered condition as measles,

and for this reason a long rest, preferably in

the country, should follow an attack. Frequent

examination of the lungs should be made, and more

than ordinary care should be used to prevent taking cold.

********

1907 Century Book of Health

Says " When not complicated the disease is not at

all fatal. Attendant lung trouble make the case

more serious. Black measles are more generally

fatal " ( " Black measles is the name given to that

form which is marked by very dark colored

eruption due to the presence of a form of

hemorrhage and in which the patient is

prostrated. It is met with in jails, camps and unsanitary dwellings "

Otherwise nothing is said about complications.

*********

1942 " International Modern Home Physician "

In an medical book I have - " International Modern

Home Physician " from 1942, there is no panic given about measles.

It says at that time mostly affects children

between the ages of 6 months and 2 years.

[earlier than other sources I have seen....Sheri]

They talk about sometimes there being 'some

complication' - " Severe bronchitis is a common

one, and it may go on to the lung disorder called

bronchopneumonia; or the patient may suffer from

the other type of pneumonia, lobar pneumonia, or

from pleurisy and perhaps empyema. There is NO

mention of encephalitis or death.

******

1954 " Essentials of Pediatrics " - Jeans, & Blake

" The illness may be so severe that the child dies

before the rash appears, or the rash may be hemorrhagic "

[Again, showing how important it is to have the

rash come out, or the disease internalizes.........Sheri}

" Such severe varieties of measles are uncommon,

and death seldom occurs as a direct result of

measles but as a result of complications " [..]

" Complications - Bronchopneumonia is the most

important of the common complications of

measles. Otitis media, though frequent is not so

serious. [..] Nephritis is

infrequent. Encephalitis, although not common,

occurs more frequently than formerly. It is a

cause of death in a few

instances. " [interesting.....what is different

now........these children have had DPT vaccine

and smallpox.....is that making a difference

already?.....just thinking out loud.......Sheri]

" Complete recovery may be expected in more than

half the cases, residual defects of varying

severity persisting in the remainder. Measles is

reputed to be an activator of pre-existing

tuberculous infection [this is mentioned by the

homeopaths too......seeing TB

follow........certainly didn't happen in my

experience as a pediatric office assistant in the

60's and as a peds nurse in the 70's - however I

didn't see thousands.......Sheri]. In severe

measles, as in any other severe infection, the

intoxication may be great enough to affect the

myocardium [heart muscle] and cause dilatation of

the heart and a rapid feeble pulse. If the

circulation fails for this reason during the

eruptive state, the rash fades or even disappears

[again the rash going inward.......Sheri]. The

popular fear of the " rash going in " has no

foundation except as this even may be dependent

on circulatory function [already they are

starting to delude themselves.......and ignoring

the wisdom of the previous

century........Sheri] Keeping the rash well out

by the use of heavy clothing or a hot room is

more of a disadvantage than otherwise " [disadvantage for who???......Sheri]

Prognosis-The prognosis in measles is dependent

in part on the age and also on the previous

condition of the child. The younger the child

and the poorer the physical condtion, the more

likely the disease to result seriously. In the

general population, the mortality rate is seldom

more than from 4-5% and it is usually less. In a

hospital where children already are ill,

especially in a ward for infants, the mortality

rate may be expected to be several times that in the general population "

[..]

" All of the complications of measles except

encephalomyelitis are the result of bacterial

invasion of mucous membrane surfaces which have

been debilitated by the infection with measles

virus. Antibiotic therapy controls these

complications. In some instances antibiotics are

given during the febrile period of measles in

order to forestall bacterial invasion "

********

1973 - Merck Manual (the maker of the Measles vaccine)

" Complications - Pneumonia from streptococci,

staphlococci, pneumococci or HIB and bacterial

otitis media [ear infection] are common. [..]

The most dreaded is encephalitis, which usually

occurs 3-6 days after onset of the exanthem

[rash] but occasionally occurs when the rash has

disappeared and only a slight cutaneous

pigmentation remains. It is ushered in by high

fever, convulsions and coma. [..] The

encephalitis may be brief, with recovery in a

week or so, or may be prolonged and terminate in

serious CNS impairment or death. Encephalitis is

a rare complication in those cases of measles

modified by immune serum globulin (human), but

the use of immune globulin in the treatment of

encephalitis has no proved value.

Prognosis - Measles is usually a benign infection

with a low mortality rate; one attack confers

lifelong immunity. However, particularly in

infants, the disease may be followed by

bronchopneumonia and other bacterial

infection. Post-measles encephalitis, which may

be fatal occurs once in 1200-1500 cases [now

everyone says 1:1000 cases.......Sheri]

Treatment [..] For encephalitis, hydrocortisone

100 - 300 mg/day by parenteral injection

occasionally results in prompt 924-96 hrs)

clearing of the sensorium and rapid amelioration

of symptoms. " [so now they are used steroids to

treat............do the steroids have an effect

on the death rate........I would think this is very possible.........Sheri]

********

1986 - Clinical Nursing (Mosby's)

" Complications of the disease involve the

respiratory tract and nervous system. Pneumonia

may result form direct invasion of the virus or

by secondary bacterial infectoin. Encephalitis

resulting from direct viral invasion of the brain

affects many persons subclincially. Pathologic

specimens of brain tissue show demyelination

[same as seen in autism......Sheri] " [..] A large

number of patients who recover are lfet with neurologic sequelae. "

Treatment includes antipyretics in this

text. SSPE is mentioned for the first time.

*****

Online, today - 2004

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/0091e9291a94f2bdcc256b950010c75f?OpenDocument

" Complications are common, in 10 percent of cases

(see Table 9.1, section 9.6), and include otitis

media, pneumonia, croup, or diarrhoea.

Encephalitis has been reported in 1 in every 1000

cases, of whom some 15 percent die and a further

25 to 35 percent are left with permanent

neurological damage. Other complications of

measles include bronchiolitis, sinusitis,

myocarditis, corneal ulceration, mesenteric

adenitis, hepatitis and thrombocytopaenic purpura. "

" Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a

rare degenerative central nervous system disease

resulting from persistent measles virus

infection, is fatal. In the USA, where there is

widespread measles immunisation, this

complication has virtually disappeared. The case

fatality rate for reported cases of measles in

the USA is 1 in 1000. Measles is particularly

severe in the malnourished and in patients with

defective cell-mediated immunity, who may develop

giant cell pneumonia orencephalitis without

evidence of rash, and have a much higher case

fatality rate. Measles is also serious in healthy

children: over half of all the children who died

from measles in the UK between 1970 and 1983 were

previously healthy.1 No other conditions were

reported as contributing to death of the seven

people who died from measles in the 1991 New Zealand epidemic'

[Now they say complications are common. And the hype is huge

I'm trying to find info on 1970 -1983 in UK.

I have just spent hours trying to nail this down in the UK

They make this info so hard to find

Have spent the last 2 hours

Best I can come up with (I don't have excel and

one of the stats pages is in excel only)

The best I can come up with is in 1971 is 155,000

notifications of measles and 28 deaths; in 1978 -

20 deaths - don't know the number of

notifications. And we don't know the number of true cases.

See below.........

http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/01/95/25/04019525.pdf

22.1.2 Fulfilment of criteria of a case

definition is not a requirement for notification

of measles but recent experience shows that few

cases, notified according to clinical diagnosis,

are measles. Correctly diagnosed cases tend to be

those occurring in older children and in

outbreaks. The presence of the following features

may improve the accuracy of clinical diagnosis:

rash for at least three days, fever for at least

one day, and at least one of the following - cough, coryza or conjunctivitis.

[..]

Complications of measles have been reported in

one in 15 notified cases, and include otitis media, bronchitis, pneumonia,

convulsions and encephalitis. Encephalitis has an

incidence of one in 5000 cases, [very different

than the 1 in 1000 spouted in the

US.........Sheri] has a mortality of about 15%,

and 20% to 40% of survivors have residual

neurological sequelae. Electro-encephalographic

changes have been reported after apparently

uncomplicated measles as well as in cases with

frank encephalitis. Complications are more common

and severe in poorly nourished and chronically

ill children; it is therefore particularly

important that such children should be immunised against measles.

[..]

Between 1970 and 1988, there continued to be an

average of 13 acute measles deaths each year.

[And they say 1/2 of the deaths were were

healthy.....humm......need more info - were they

vaccinated, did they use drugs, fever suppressants?........Sheri]

You will see huge variations in the

numbers..........and notifications of diseases is

VERY different than actual cases

You will constantly see apples compared with

oranges. It seems they mix things up to keep it confused.

The worst outbreak in the last 15 years was in

1990 in UK, when there were 27,786 cases and 89 deaths.

http://www.whale.to/y/stats/measlesdeaths.html

Chart for Measles Deaths in UK

Case reporting unreliable

http://www.whale.to/vaccines/measles3.html

GPS MISDIAGNOSE MEASLES IN 97% OF CASES

They all compare apples with oranges -

notifications, cases, deaths, England, Wales, UK

- all different graphs that don't compare the same with the same.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=5220 & Pos=1 & ColRank=2 & Ra\

nk=1000

ANYONE have EXCEL who can go to this site and get

the info?????????? Email me years and

notifications and actual cases and deaths for 1971 - 1990 if you can

http://www.whale.to/y/stats/icd8measles.html

28 Deaths

*********

So you see a progression in the above reports

from 1838 to 1973 to 1986 to NOW........what is

new in 1954 - better sanitation and nutrition

(maybe), increase in consumption of sugar,

vaccinated for Smallpx and DPT in 1954,

antibiotic use (suppression?), and sedatives used

for cough, fever is controlled by

hydrotherapy. Probably other factors I'm not

thinking of. Just guesswork. And by 1973, much

mention of encephalitis barely mentioned early

on. And treatment with steroids (also aspirin in

use at this time for fever, etc) and Measles

Vaccine is out. Same in 1986......does that make

a difference in how measles is portrayed? Or did

it change? Did children become more depleted in

Vitamin A? Never mentioned in the above as a

treatment. And such a manipulation of

stats. What a mess.........that's all I can see.

Certainly not scientific.

But generally do you see a huge problem after you

have waded through all of this?

Sheri

copyright 2004 Sheri Nakken

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines -

http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm Vaccine

Dangers & Childhood Disease & Homeopathy Email classes start in December 2008

[Guest guest]

This was the exact information I was referring to in one of my

previous posts, but hadn't made it back to search my class archives.

Thanks for posting it!

On Sun, Nov 30, 2008 at 3:47 PM, Sheri Nakken <vaccineinfo@...> wrote:

> some info I share with my online classes

>

> Measles Cases from 1838 to NOW

>

> I am going to quote from a variety of sources

> from 1838 to 1986 to show you what is said about

> measles so you can compare and see the

> differences. Now they have made measles a

> 'killer'. Did it look like a killer in the

> articles before the vaccine was out? You tell me.

> Sheri

<snip>