CHAPTER XV
Whooping Cough
Joseph Stokes, Jr., M. D.
The history of the Medical Department of the Armyreports only 119 admissions for whoopingcough in the total Army during World War 1.1There were no deaths.
In adults, the disease is often difficult to diagnose and paroxysms of Coughing are usually attributed to other causes so that Hemophilus pertussis is rarely considered as a causative agent. It has been estimated by Collies 2 that approximately 75 percent of adults have had recognizable attacks of whooping cough in childhood, while about 95 to 98 percent are immune to the disease. Such data suggest that a considerable number of unrecognized cases without cough, with mild upper respiratory symptoms, or with a cough, not recognized as whooping cough, may well have occurred in childhood. Thus, the number of susceptible arriving at induction centers would be extremely few and would account for the low rates in World Wars I and 11.
The incidence in World War II may well have beenhigher than is indicated by table 47, whichincludes the total number of cases recorded and the rates.
TABLE47.-Incidence of whoopingcough in the U. S. Army, 1940-45
1The Medical Department ofthe United States Army in the World War.Statistics. Washington:Government Printing Office, 1925, vol. XV, pt. 2, p. 86.
2 Collins, S. D.: Age Incidencecf the Common Communicable Diseases of Children; a Study ofCase Rates Among All Children and Among Children Not PreviouslyAttacked and of DeathRates and the Estimated Case Fatality. Pub. Health Rep. 44: 763-826, 5Apr. 1929.
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Studies of the best methods of immunization havebeen extensive since World War I. Inasmuchas whooping cough has not been a military problem, it would not seemappropriate to enter hereinto a discussion of the newer methods which have been developed norwill reference be made totheir application or usefulness.
