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Show (moping cough dates back I s early as 1578, says report ;l in cough is an acute f ' communicable disease If "Evolves the respiratory I t characteristic cough ac- l'id bv a wh0Pin& Vfis almost diagnostic. & American Medical Asso- i ; fast sheet on whooping i jSciiS ia- cough reports that the disease was known as early as 1578 and occurred in epidemic form in England in the 17th century The organism responsible is a rod-shaped bacterium known as Haemophilus pertussis which is found in the discharge coughed from the respiratory passages by a victim of the disease. The organism does not survive for any length of time outside the body and is quickly destroyed by drying and exposure to heat and sunlight. The desease may occur at any season but is most common in late winter, spring and summer. sum-mer. Most cases appear at ages under five years. One attack usually pro duces immunity. Vaccination against whooping cough is effective. Many school districts require vaccination against whooping cough and several other childhood diseases before children may enroll in school. Symptoms include inflama-tion inflama-tion of the respiratory tract and much secretion of mucus, which becomes quite thick and sticky as the disease progresses. progres-ses. Coughing may be prolonged prolong-ed and violent and accompanied accompan-ied by a whooping sound. Sometimes the child may vomit after a coughing spell. Convalescence usually begins after four weeks. Very young children are most seriously affected. af-fected. Medical care, isolation and good nursing care are essential. |