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DAUGHTER GOT MEASLES
​DESPITE VACCINATION
DEAR DR. ROACH: My daughter is 4 years old and has, in the past five days, developed measles. She was vaccinated at 9 months and has been treated with antibiotics, Tylenol and vitamin A supplements. What concerns me is that she is now experiencing seizures, even without a fever. They are not grand mal seizures, but simple ones. They have me worried. What can I do? -- G.A.

ANSWER: Measles remains a serious disease in many parts of the world, with 90,000 deaths reported in 2016. Even in industrialized nations, there have been outbreaks involving tens of thousands of people infected. 
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Vitamin A supplementation may be of value in those who are deficient, and Tylenol can help keep the fever down, reducing the risk of febrile seizures. The antiviral drug ribavirin sometimes is used, though without clear evidence of effectiveness. Otherwise, there are no effective antibiotics or other treatments for measles.

When seizures occur in a child with measles in absence of fever, it can indicate a complication called encephalitis -- inflammation of the brain. Children also may experience nausea and vomiting, and they usually have a headache. Confusion and sleepiness are other common symptoms. The diagnosis can be confirmed by an evaluation of the fluid around the brain, the cerebrospinal fluid, which is sampled via a needle inserted into the lower back.

Confirmed encephalitis with measles is treated with steroids. This reduces the risk of 
permanent brain damage from the infection. Even so, 25% of children may be left with some impairment, including epilepsy.

​Unfortunately, vaccination at 9 months is not adequate protection. Children's immune systems may not be able to fully respond to the vaccine so early. Children are recommended to have the measles vaccine at 12-15 months and again at 4 to 6 years in the United States. In countries where risk of measles mortality remains high, children are vaccinated at 9 months, then again at 15-18 months. During an outbreak, a dose may be given as early as 6 months old, in addition to the other two doses.

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DEAR DR. ROACH: I get horrible fever blisters when I go on any tropical vacation and am exposed to lasting sun. These blisters develop on my lower lip. I have tried sunscreen, but nothing has worked. On my most recent trip, the blisters appeared on the final day and took nearly three weeks to heal. It's painful and horribly embarrassing. Is there anything I can do? Should I see my dermatologist? -- S.A.

ANSWER: The sun can cause many kinds of skin reactions. In some people, the light itself causes the problem (these reactions are called photodermatoses). In others, the sun causes a reaction in combination with exposure to a particular substance. Sometimes, it's a fruit, especially limes. In people with blisters around the mouth, I think of mangoes, especially if you are enjoying them in the tropics. 
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Some skin diseases just get worse in the sun: Lupus is the classic example, but there are many others (my textbook lists about 50, some quite rare).

A dermatologist is indeed the person to see. In the meantime, wear sun-protective clothing on your next tropical vacation, and consider a blocking sunscreen like zinc oxide in the areas where the blistering has occurred in the past. ​
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible.
​Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

(c) 2019 North America Synd., Inc.
All Rights Reserved
METALLIC
​POSTCARDS
Postcards are among the most popular inexpensive collectibles today, perhaps because they are easy to find. But they require time and searching to create a special collection. Postcards are wanted for the postmark, the stamp, the message or the picture on the front, and they can be framed and hung or displayed in scrapbooks.
​​Although an English postcard was mailed as early as 1840, the first U.S. postcard wasn’t printed until 1873. The earliest picture postcards mailed in the U.S. probably were cards sold at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. A printed stamp was used on early postal cards by the U.S. Post Office. A rectangular stamp was glued onto a souvenir postage card, bought and mailed by tourists. The required postage changed 21 times between 1872 and 2000, going from 1 cent to 21 cents. Today it is 35 cents.

Collectors also can date a card from its design. The “divided back” era began in 1907. “Linen” cards that had texturized paper for better color printing were popular from 1931 to 1959. “Chrome” era postcards featuring Kodachrome photographs started in 1939. The craze for collecting postcards began in 1946, and there were clubs, stores, sales and research for collectors buying postcards.

This unusual card, featuring the side of an attached metal turkey, seems great for a Thanksgiving message, but the raised turkey would not allow it to go in the mail. It’s part of a group of cards that have 
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strange attached or moving parts known as “mechanicals.” It also has a divided back, suggesting a date as early as 1907. The postcard has an old price tag of $20.

​Q: I bought a green Thanksgiving plate at an auction and am curious to see its value. A colonial couple is pictured on the front, and underneath it says: “Speak for yourself, John.” There are four other scenes around the border. The back of the platter has a picture of pilgrims, and underneath it says: “Pilgrim Exiles” and “Colonial Times by Crown Ducal, England.” Can you help? 

A: Crown Ducal is used on some pieces of porcelain made by A.G. Richardson and Co., Ltd., of Tunstall and Cobridge, England, beginning in 1916. The Colonial Times series was made in the early 1930s. It includes 12 different designs and was made in several colors, including blue, brown, green, mulberry and pink. Plates were made with scalloped or smooth edges. A square plate also was made. Colonial Times plates sell for $25 to $50.

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CURRENT PRICES
Egg beater, tin and steel, wood handle, side gear drive, teeth and crimp, Holt’s, 1899, 10 3/4 x 3 inches, $75.

Mechanical postcard, Thanksgiving greeting, opens into booklet, Indian maiden holding turkey, Germany, 1913, $95.

Tin, Thanksgiving, round, orange and black, pilgrim girl holding basket, pumpkins and turkeys, 1920s, 1 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches, $125.
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TIP: Use your lace and lace-trimmed tablecloths. It is more damaging to let the linens get dusty than it is to wash them. If you’re really worried about stains, don’t serve red wine or cranberries.
For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com

(c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.