mouth; the disturbances of frequent occurrence come from taking sulfa. It causes a skin rash, destroys the white corpuscles of the blood, and injures the kidney; because of these dangers, patients who take sulfa must have their urine and blood examined regularly.
Q — I know a family that gives its child, who was stricken with rheumatic fever, doses of penicillin by mouth every day, while in another family the child takes penicillin by injection once a month. Why this difference??
A — Both ways of taking the medicine are beneficial, but injections are surer, for children forget to take their pills and must always be reminded. Parents bear a great responsibility in looking after the health of their child without making him feel that he is sick; rather, this permanent treatment must become second nature to him, without the medicine becoming the pivot of his thoughts.
Q — What is the usefulness of aspirin in cases of rheumatic fever??
A — Aspirin has proved to be among the safe and useful medicines for the relief of rheumatic-fever sufferers, as much as any other treatment; but it only relieves the symptoms and the pains, and does not kill the streptococcus microbe.
Q — Is rheumatic fever a hereditary disease??
A — The disease in itself is not hereditary, but families in which several persons have been stricken with it must keep to the side of caution and care.
Q — Is this disease contagious??
A — A child who carries the streptococcus microbe in his nose
and throat can pass the infection to others exactly like a cold. Therefore, if you learn that your child has been in contact with a child previously stricken with this disease, consult your doctor at the first slight cold.
Q — My child is fortunately among those who have been cured of rheumatic fever, because we hastened to take the necessary precautions and medicines when he fell ill two years ago, and since then he has kept up taking penicillin regularly. Can you tell me whether there is any danger of the disease returning if his tonsils are removed?
A — No, not necessarily; but the doctor must be told that your child was stricken with rheumatic fever, so that he may use a certain quantity of penicillin before and after the operation, lest the disease
return to him. This must also be applied when molars are extracted, so the dentist must be informed in advance.
Q — If the medicines are of sure benefit in helping and curing those stricken with rheumatic fever, why does my little girl's heart not improve, though she keeps up taking penicillin regularly?
A — These medicines, unfortunately, do not ward off the consequences of this deadly disease; the reason for taking penicillin now is to remove the possibility of the disease's returning again. Your little girl must remain under the watch of a specialist in heart disease, under whose supervision her heart can improve, and it is he who will guide you as to the physical activity she may undertake.
