HOME HEALTH GUIDE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 73, 29 August 1947, Page 7

HOME HEALTH GUIDE

CHICKENPOX (By the Department of Health) Chickenpox is one of those nuisance diseases which, like mumps, is seldom serious in its consequences! and rarely dangerous to life. It has a persistent habit of attacking the members of a family, one after another.

Normally, chickenpox takes 11 to 21 days to develop, the general average being about 14 •or more days. The disease usually shows itself first by the appearance of small spots on the chest, back and inner sides of the thighs, the rash quickly spreading to the face, scalp and arms.

With children, the onset is not generally accompanied by symptoms of general disturbance, but in adults the rash is often preceded by loss' of appetite, headache and vomiting, sim ilar to the symptoms of a disease like influpnza. Serious or destressing symptoms seldom occur, but when they do it is necessary to call a doctor.

The disease occur as a dual infection, associated with some other complaint, the commonest being shingles. Chickenpox is an infectious disease or, more strictly speaking, a contagious one. It can be passed on to others at any stage of the illness from the onset of the earliest symptoms until all the scabs have disappeared. It is therefore necessary to isolate children suffering from —or suspected to be suffering from chickenpox.