1942 — Diphtheria –1,273

lornajarrettblanchard January 1, 1942

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 7-10-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

— 1,273 US Bureau of Census. Vital Statistics of the US 1942 — Part II…Mortality. 1944, p. 192

Narrative Information

Diphtheria, CDC: “Diphtheria is a serious disease caused by a toxin (poison) made by bacteria. It causes a thick coating in the back of the nose or throat that makes it hard to breathe or swallow. It can be deadly. The DTaP vaccine protects against diphtheria….Diphtheria starts like a cold, with sore throat, mild fever (101 degrees or less), and chills. Next, the diphtheria toxin makes a thick coating on the back of the nose or throat. It may be blue or grayish green. The coating makes it hard to breathe or swallow…The coating on the throat can get so thick that it blocks the airway, so the person can’t breathe.

“The diphtheria toxin can attack the heart, causing abnormal heart rhythms and even heart failure. It can also attack the nerves, which leads to paralysis (unable to move parts of the body). About 1 out of 10 people who get diphtheria dies. In children younger than 5 years, as many as 1 out of 5 children who get diphtheria dies.

“How does diphtheria spread? Diphtheria spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. A person can spread the disease for up to 2 weeks after infection.

“What is the DTaP vaccine? The DTaP vaccine is a shot that combines the vaccines for diphtheria and two other serious diseases: tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis). The vaccine helps the body to build up protection against the diphtheria toxin. Most children (about 97 children out of 100) who get all doses of the vaccine will be protected against diphtheria….” (Centers for Disease Control. Vaccines and Immunizations. “Diphtheria – Fact Sheet for Parents.” 7-8-2013 update.)

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccines and Immunizations. “Diphtheria – Fact Sheet for Parents.” 7-8-2013 update. Accessed 8-27-2013 at:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/diphtheria/fs-parents.html

United States Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce. Vital Statistics of the United States 1942 — Part II: Natality and Mortality Data for the United States Tabulated by Place of Residence. Washington: GPO, 1944. At: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsus/VSUS_1942_2.pdf