Diphtheria

Diphtheria was a wicked disease that killed many children in North Dakota’s early years. It is caused by bacteria that produce a deadly toxin in the nose,…

Epidemics of diphtheria, smallpox, scarlet fever and other diseases struck schools, churches and families throughout North Dakota more than a century ago.…

Fighting epidemics in North Dakota’s early years involved difficult and sometimes heavy-handed measures. Such was the case when diphtheria hit the old…