Communicable Diseases - They Just Go Around

[Music] How do you feel? I feel off and my muscles and my voice is sore and my nose is I just don't feel so good. You just got a cold. That's all. They're What can I do? I feel lousy. Just stay in bed and keep warm. Can Billy come over after cold? Of course not. Why? Why? Well, Shell's got a cold. And a cold is an example of Communicable diseases are diseases that pass from one person to another and may eventually involve the entire community. Although Shel's cold may not be serious, there are other communicable diseases which are in fact infectious disease has changed the course of history time and time again. Ancient Athens was a powerful city. It fought many wars and won. But communicable disease struck. Thousands died and the remaining people panicked and rioted. Eventually the city was at the mercy of its enemies. Athens produced a culture on which our culture is based and ideas which are a part of our lives. But the Athenians didn't understand disease. So they were helpless before [Music] it. Later, a far more powerful state, the Roman Empire, collapsed for mysterious reasons. A curious lack of energy and decay seemed to set in. Some thought it was the result of loose morals and high living. Yet, it's likely that it was also a factor, mainly malaria and typhoid, both communicable [Music] diseases. In the Middle Ages, Europe, bubanic plague, black death. Whole villages disappeared. Governments collapsed. Again, men were baffled and [Music] helpless. As the years passed, disease became better understood. But epidemics still caused enormous misery and death. [Applause] At the beginning of this century, immigrants came to America in search of a better [Music] life. But many had communicable diseases such as tuberculosis. Health officials realizing the danger would not allow those infected to enter the country. They were forced to return to their native lands. Terrible disease on a wide scale is not just something that happened long ago. Until recently, polio was a common menace, particularly in summer. Children were warned to keep away from public places like movie theaters and swimming pools. Summers were not completely free from worry until 1955 when Dr. Jonas Sulk developed the first polio vaccine. All communicable diseases are caused by germs, bacteria, viruses, all kinds of tiny plants and animals. Because all these living things can be seen only under a microscope, a general term used when discussing them is microbes. If you ever really got a microscopic look at yourself, you might be surprised. You'd see a living forest of microbes covering your entire body. These microbes are with us all the time and cover almost everything. Most of the microbes around us don't cause problems. But there are certain kinds called pathogens which can cause very serious disease. Even though microbes are all around us, there are very few that are actually inside our body. Medical scientists say that nothing is inside us until it passes into our bloodstream through the stomach walls or through the lungs or a break in the skin. This brings us to our next point. How does infection enter the body? Which stress did Michelle make? Michelle didn't make it. One of the most common ways infection is spread is through inhalation. Simple breathing. Yeah. Well, she said they really took a lot of work. Thank you. The common cold, measles, mumps, tuberculosis, and influenza can be spread in this manner. That's why it's a good idea to cover up when you sneeze or cough. Front reading your apple. I just want to wash it. Oh, come on, Kathy. I just bought it at the market. It's perfectly all right. So that doesn't mean it's clean. Look, I'll be your official taster here. Give me rubble. What's a gland dysfunction? The second way infection can enter your body is through ingestion. Eating or swallowing something. I want to know that. But I'm not really contaminated water or infected food can carry typhoid, dysentery, chalera, and various food poisonings. It's a good idea to wash food carefully before eating it. Come on, help me with it. Ready, go. Set. Fight. Come on. You all right? A little cut, man. Wow. You sure you want? The third way infection can enter the body is through an abrasion or cut. These breaks in the skin can cause infection by allowing pathogenic microbes to enter directly into the bloodstream. It's a good idea to carefully wash and keep clean any break in the skin. Of course, we can't spend our lives worrying about getting sick, but there are a few things we should be aware of. Hey, what's happening people? Hey, how's it going? Even though our bodies have certain natural defenses against disease, excessive drinking, smoking, and drug taking all tend to weaken these defenses. For example, smoking has a tendency to destroy the tiny hairlike projection which sweep foreign matter out of the respiratory tract. Without these, our chances of getting sick are considerably increased. You know, you look like you're feeding too well. It's sometimes hard to know if you're really sick. But if you think you're coming down with something, see a doctor or your school nurse. Sounds to me more like a case of final itis. Oh, really? My stomach's really queasy and my head hurts and I feel really warm. Wow. Are you really serious? Are you sure? It's probably just a cold I would even worry about. The common cold is really very complex. There's no single cold germ. Hundreds of different kinds of microbes can cause it. If you have a cold, your resistance to all disease is down. So, take care of it before it becomes something more serious. Yeah. Well, come on. Let's get something to get you. Another communicable disease common to young people is monucleiosis, often called the kissing disease. It's believed that the microbes which cause mononucleiois travel from one person to another in saliva, which means in sharing the same glass, a cigarette or a kiss. Some of the symptoms are swollen glands, a sore throat, and a generally tired Heat. Heat. Hey, what's going on? Is that okay? What you doing in the bathroom? Wash your hands. Did I wash my hands? Hey, what you doing? Since the microbes which cause infectious hepatitis are most common in human excellent or feces. You can see the importance of washing your hands after using the bathroom. Infectious hepatitis should not be confused with serum hepatitis which can be transmitted by using a dirty hypodermic needle. Come on. Come on. Come on. That's it. You got it. Fabulous. I usually always I'm just getting over a cold. I don't feel so strong tonight. What's all over your arm? Looks like a rash or something. Maybe I'm allergic to this. German measles or reubella is quite common among young people. Paul's cold is one of the few symptoms of the disease, but a rash usually appears and they last about 3 days. German measles usually aren't serious, but if you have reason to suspect you've got German measles, check with a doctor. Not only can you spread them around to your friends, but if you should somehow pass the disease to a pregnant woman, it could seriously affect her unborn child. I have Yeah. Wait, I might have got also. Yeah, I think you better go to a doctor. Look, I'm [Applause] sorry. Hey, Sheila, what's wrong? Everything we're friends. Hey, come on. It can't be that bad. Let's go outside and talk. Today, the chances are one in five that you'll get VD before you get your high school diploma. What's wrong, friend? You look all right to me. Well, I've got all the symptoms. Well, like what? I've got a yellowish discharge coming out of my pants. Wow. When I go to the bathroom, it it really hurts. Sounds like gorrhea. Have you been to a doctor yet? No, not yet. You better go. It appears as if Fred does have a venerial disease called ganorrhea. The only difference between veneerial diseases and other communicable diseases is that they can be transmitted only by intimate sexual contact. It's important to see a doctor as soon as you suspect you may have a venerial disease because it can usually be treated easily and painlessly during the early stages. If the disease contracted with syphilis, Fred may have noticed a sore on his penis. Okay. So, what's wrong? Fred said that I should see a doctor, that that I may have DD. Oh, she You're kidding. Well, how does he know? Well, he thinks he has it. And well, he said that if I didn't want to go to my family doctor, that I could go to the free clinic or to the public health department. He says they won't necessarily tell my parents. Well, do you feel bad? Have you noticed anything wrong? No. I mean, I feel fine. It doesn't matter that Sheila feels fine because most females don't notice any symptoms at all. Venerial disease can be very serious. Untreated gorrhea can cause sterility and certain blood infections. Untreated syphilis can result in blindness, heart damage, insanity, and even death. If you have VD or think you may have come in contact with it, seek help. It's just plain foolish not to. One way to protect against some specific diseases is by getting an immunization. An immunization is the introduction into the body of a killed or inactivated substance to which the body reacts by producing antibodies. These antibodies fight disease and prevent us from catching it. We are then called immune. Doctors recommend that infants receive a series of immunizations that will protect them against dtheria, pertasus, and tetanus. In addition, at one year of age, a child should receive immunizations for polio and measles. But people today often forget the lessons of past years and ignore immunizations. They really are a very important part of staying healthy. Even if you didn't get your shots as a child, it's not too late to get them now. Still, the best defense you have against communicable disease is simply to stay healthy. Keep your resistance up. Yeah, I dig. I've been drinking this high protein drink and uh I don't eat anything that's not natural, you know. I'm uh I'm really into this health thing. That's all well and good, but staying healthy involves more than a high protein drink or eating natural food. It's important that we eat well-balanced meals, get a good night's sleep, find some time for exercise, and keep ourselves clean. In other words, practice sound personal hygiene. You know, we all have a responsibility to ourselves to take care of any illness we may have. But also we have a responsibility to take care of each other and that means not spreading disease. 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