Epidemic of measles reported in Lubbock

1942 An epidemic of measles was reported Saturday by Lubbock physicians.

There are numerous cases of mumps in the city and section, as well.

One death from mumps had been reported recently, a woman.

One physician Thursday afternoon sat down at his desk and his three telephone lines became congested with inquiries from persons affected with mumps.

He had eight calls in a row from such persons.

"It's just the time of year" for such epidemics, one physician suggested. "The pneumonia and influenza induces for the entire state are also unusually high."

Measles have not proved to be especially virulent, and a bunch of so called German measles cases have been reported.

Whereas the measles are "very contagious," mumps are "low contagion," but "there apparently is no definite way to avoid them."

And don't get the idea subscribed by many persons that a person with mumps can give them to only one person. Physicians say there is nothing to the belief.

What to do by way of prevention?

Well, keeping the kids home might help so far as the measles are concerned, some physicians suggest.

But the mumps, a filter passing virus, are air-borne and lodge in the respiratory tracts. Some suggest use of sprays and gargles might reduce the number of persons contracting the disease, others say such preventatives might do little more than reduce nature's own resistance. Physicians say medical science has not come up with a definite answer to causes of mumps, which affects those who have reached the age of puberty most seriously.

Texas law does require measles quarantine, but the practice is to keep affected students away from school 21 days from date of diagnosis.