“The Scarlet Fever Germ is Neither Chivalrous nor Romantic”

This post is part three of the exhibit “Epidemic!  Disease on Campus, 1918-1938.”

From 1840 until 1883, scarlet fever became one of the most common infectious childhood diseases to cause death in the major metropolitan centers of Europe and the United States, with fatality rates that reached or exceeded 30% in some areas. Until the early 20th century, scarlet fever was a common condition among children. Though the disease did not reach the epidemic heights of the late 1800s at the University during Doctor Beard’s tenure, the Health Services Station dealt with yearly threats of a potential disaster. Continue reading ““The Scarlet Fever Germ is Neither Chivalrous nor Romantic””