The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-01-29
Scarlet Feper,

We publish the following excellent article,
which we find going the rounds ofthe papers,
and commend it to the attention of our read
crs, particularly as we understand scarlet fe-
yer is prevailing in some sections of our coun-
ty. AS isolation of q person affected with
this character Of disease is absolutely neces-
sary to prevent its spread, would it not be well
for our school authorities by the most effective
regulations to provide against any scholar
being admitted into school who might have
had the disease, or who might be residing in
family where it existed, until all danger
had passed of its being communicated to the
children attending the school? This most
vital matter should, and we trust will, receive
the immediate attention of our School Com
missioners:
DIR. HARRIS ON sCARLATINA.
In his regular weekly letter, submitted to
the New York Board of Health, DR.. Harris
offers the following suggestions relative to
this fearful disease
This deadly foe of childhood always threa-
tens the densely packed families of the tene-
ment houses; but the snbtlety of Its contagious
and epidemic principle renders it source
of danger wherever there are children with
in its reach. 1t killed GA children in New
York in the twelve months that ended Octo-
Der 1, and in Brooklyn it destroyed 402. And
this is but half the havoc it made, for its con-
sequences or sequele in a greater number
that survived, have caused death or perman-
tnt injuries to health. Experience and the
present state of medical knowledge teach the
duty of strictly separating the sick of this
disease, so that no susceptible children shall
be exposed to contagious carnations, and,
in populous towns and cities this kind of
precaution should be extended to the proper
sanitary care of all clothing that has been
exposed in sick rooms. The m, sterics of
epidemic will doubtless continue until the art
of complete sanitary care becomes universal
in its application.
The duty we owe to our fellow-creatures
concerning this matter @ preventive measures
against scarlatina in all the domestic pestil-
ence that can be spread by contagion, lead
us to repeat to-day the words which we quo
ted year ago from Sir James Y. Simpson,
the great Edinburg physician: "a rattle
snake or tiger escaping from travelling
menagcrie into school full ofchildren would
in all probability, not wound or kill nearly so
many children as would a boy or girl coming
among them affected with or still imperfect
ly recovered from scarlet-fever, measles or
smallpox. Most properly the cobra (snake)
and the tiger, because they are always dan
gerous, are always as. far as possible prohib-
tied from making such yisitations, so the in
fected boy or girl should be prohibited also,
during the time that they are running through
| the course and convalescence of such conta-
gious diseases or while they exhale from
their bodies virus of dangerous and deadly
potency"
1t is not known, and until known it cannot
be claimed, that scarlatina can be utterly
banished by all the resources of sanitary sci
ence but II has been found possible, by sim
pie, regulation of domestic isolation and
perfect dsinfecton by hygenic care, to limit
or greatly modify the progress Of this infcc-
lions poison.