Epidemic infectious diarrhea of the newborn infant

Abstract

1.1. Epidemic infectious diarrhea is a definite entity.2.2. The disease is extremely contagious. More than one-half of the infants exposed to the infection contracted the disease.3.3. Acute enteritis and pneumonia were the most common pathologic findings.4.4. Bacteriologic studies showed that the most common invading organism was the hemolytic streptococcus. The average incubation period for development of symptoms varied from forty-eight to ninety-six hours.5.5. The severity of the infection was illustrated by the rapid progress of the disease and its concomitant very high mortality rate, namely, 82 per cent.6.6. Only formula-fed babies died. Breast-fed infants either did not contract the disease or if they did were able to conquer the infection.7.7. Treatment was unavailing except for the feeding of mother's milk.8.8. The small nursery with air-conditioning unit permits the growth of the minimum number of air-borne bacteria. Air-conditioned cubicles in large nurseries accomplish the same thing but cubicles add the important factor of isolation to the protection of the baby. Many small air-conditioned units containing individual cubicles with a completely isolated formula kitchen are the ideal set-up for the modern hospital nursery.