What Impact Did Scarlet Fever Actually Have?

Symptoms of Scarlet fever(5)

What is scarlet fever and why is it feared?

In 4th century BC scarlet fever erupted. It was known back then as "erysipelas"(3), and was also commonly referred to as "Childbed fever"(3).There was notch to note on it from that time due to the medicine at the time, but it was known to be very deadly, and to spread by "contagion”, or through the air. As times progressed it became better known as scarlet fever. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it became a wide spread pandemic attacking many. 

Due to not knowing what it was or really how to stop it, its mortality rate grew. Its common symptoms were "numerous spots, large and small, fiery and red, of universal distribution, so that the whole body appeared to be on fire"(3).It also was linked to symptoms of a common cold with runny nose, sore throat and grogginess, the only thing setting it apart, the rash. Once it was figured out to be very contagious, many "children with scarlet fever used to be immediately isolated and quarantined, and entire schools and neighborhoods panicked when a case was discovered" (7).

Not only did scarlet fever kill on its own, but "Complications of the infection could be serious as well.Some children went on to develop rheumatic fever, a serious infection that causes heart damage. Other complications affect kidneys and joints"(1). This caused mass amounts of confusion leading to panic because people did not know what to do, and there was still no cure.

Frankenstein and Scarlet Fever

In Mary Shelly's novel Frankenstein, two characters catch scarlet fever. In chapter two volume one of the novel, Victors mother, Caroline, dies of Scarlet Fever after contracting it from Elizabeth while trying to nurse her back to health. As Shelly states "The consequences of this imprudence were fatal"(8). Because scarlet fever was prevalent during Shelly's time writing the novel (1817), it is apparent in this text that it impacted her whilst writing. We can assume that Elizabeths bedroom looked something 

similar to this photo. 

 Room in 1817(2)

Due to the fact that scarlet fever was spread through close contact, it is prevalent that with Caroline being in such close quarters to Elizabeth, this is how she contracted it. Because this fever was running rampant while Shelly was writing the novel, it is apparent that she was impacted by the illness, and therefore decided to write about it in her novel.

Scarlet Fever Today

Although scarlet fever is not widely occurring in todays times, it is still an illness some face. As there are known to be surges of it, there was one in 2017 in a kindergarten classroom in the United Sates. This outbreak was contained but it "affected 21 out of 158 children (13.3%) in the kindergarten, with the mean age of 4.2(range 3-5) years"(4). This was treated and none of the students or people in close contact died. 

Although it is still prevalent today, it is important to note that it is highly unlikely to have the affects that it had in Shellys time. With the medicine that we have and the information we have gathered through the years, it is preventable and bale to be treated.

(1)27, Helen Branswell Nov., et al. “Scarlet Fever, a Disease of Yore, Is Making a Comeback in Parts of the World.” STAT, 28 Nov. 2017, https://www.statnews.com/2017/11/27/scarlet-fever-cases/. 

(2)About The Author Homestratosphere's Editorial Staff & Writers. “45 Victorian Style Primary Bedroom Ideas (Photos).” Home Stratosphere, 13 Sept. 2021, https://www.homestratosphere.com/victorian-bedroom-ideas/. 

(3)Ferretti, Joseph. “History of Streptococcal Research.” Streptococcus Pyogenes : Basic Biology to Clinical Manifestations [Internet]., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 10 Feb. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK333430/. 

(4)Ryu, Sukhyun, and Byung Chul Chun. “Investigation of Scarlet Fever Outbreak in a Kindergarten.” Korea University, Taehan Kamyom Hakhoe, Taehan Hwahak Yopop Hakhoe, 1 Mar. 2018, https://koreauniv.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/investigation-of-scarlet-fever-outbreak-in-a-kindergarten. 

(5)“Red Alert: Why Is Scarlet Fever Spreading across Britain?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 Mar. 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/science/shortcuts/2016/mar/21/red-alert-why-scarlet-fever-spreading-across-britain. 

(6)“Scarlet Fever- Symptoms, Causes & Treatment.” Santripty, 24 July 2021, https://santripty.com/articles/scarlet-fever/. 

(7)“Scarlet Fever.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/science/scarlet-fever. 

(8)Shelley, Mary, and James Paul Hunter. Frankenstein: The 1818 Text, Contexts, Criticism. W.W. Norton Et Company, 2022.