The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-11
sc.IItf-rfyrr.


~ sn Enaneat fhysieler.
Scarlet-fevcr is defined to be feb-
rilc disease, the product of specific
poison, which is reproduced during
the progress of the infection. Like
small -pox, it spreads by infection and
cohtagioir. The contagious principle
Is exceedingly subtitle. 1t ills the at.
mosphere Of the rooms of the sick, and
ciings with desperate tenacity to
clothing. A strip of flannel may re-
main contagious for upward of year;
and o cloak put on eighteen months
after its exposure has communicated
the disease. This fact shows the me-
ccssily of thorough ventilation of the
rooms of the sick, and of the COM
plete disinfection of all articles of
clothing used about them. IL also
proves that those who visit the sick
of scarlet-fever are very liable to car
nv the poison i'm their clothing, and
disseminate it widely. 1t very often
happens that it Is quite impossible to
trace the origin of an outbreak of
lscarlct-fever in family. 1t may oc-
cur first i'm the infant who has never
been out of doors. In such cases, it is
undoubtedly introduced by the cloth
ing Of some person who has visited
the room of one sick of this disease.
Physicians undo Ibtedly often trans
port the poison from family to family;
and many are so impressed with the
danger that they always wash their
hands, and thoroughly change or ven
tilate their clothing, before visiting
other patients.
The period of incubation of the poi
son varies from few hours to one
week. The first symptom is general
ly vomiting; fever soon sets in; the
throat is slightly sore; there is head
ache, thirst, restlessness, and slight
deliiium at night. The symptoms
continue about forty-eight hours,
when the rash makes its appearance
over the lower part nf the neck and
upper part of the chest. This rash is
of bright scarlet in healthy persons,
having a velvety appearance, but not
raised or rough. On the second day
of the rash, it spreads over the body,
and on the third over the. limbs. At
this period it begins to fade OH the
chest and body, and about the third
DAY from its appearance on the hands
and feet. it disappears altogether 1t
returns, however, as a light blush for
several days, with more or less fever.
With the subsistence of the eruption,
there appears over the body dand-
ruff-likc scurf, which consists of the
scarf.skin or scales, loOsened and
thrown off by the fever in the skin.
This is called the desquamative stage,
and is dangerous, from the fact that
the removal of this outer coating rem
dcrs the patient peculiarly liable to
suppression of perspiration Oh the
slightest exposure to cold.
A careful observer can determine
the onset of scarlet-fever before the
eruption appears, by examining the
tongue and throat. These surfaces
will be found red, and that of the
tongue will have the appearance of a
strawberry. The disease may begin
quite differently. The affection of the
throat may be the principal symptom,
with swelling, and but small amount
of rash; or the patient may be sud-
denly overwhelmed with the poison,
and die without an eruption.
No specific remedy has yet been
found for scarlet-fever. Bellanonne
has been extensively employed; but
no positive results have been OBJ
tanned. Judicious nursing is far more
important than medicines. The pa
tient should be placed i'm room hav-
ing uniform temperature, day and
night, of about sixty-eight to seventy
degrees, well aired, without expos
ure to draughts of air; in this room
he should remain until thoroughly
well, unless it be summer season.
The clothing should be light during
the rash, and increased after it, and
not be changed until convalescence is
thoroughly established. Cold drinks
should be given very sparingly; but
the body may be sponged over fire.
quently when the skin is hot. 1t is
well to put light flannel scarf around
the neck, and to apply camphorated
oil daily freely around and under the
angle of the jaw. The diet should
consist of rice-water, or similar SIM
pie liquid nourishment, until the
eruption subsidies, when it may be
solid, but must still be simple, as rice,
fatina, etc.
If the early stages of the fever are
passed i'm safety, the danger will de-
pend upon the exposure of the new
tender surface to cold, and the result
ing dropsy. 1t is surprising how sen
sitive the denuded body is to cold
the change of an article of clothing,
the lowering of the temperature of
the room at night, stepping into a
room having lower temperature,
are but few of the many ways of so
chilling the skin as to suppress per-
spiratiOn and induce dropsy. 1t is
for this reason that the tight &C ses are
more often followed by serious con-
sequence; less care is taken of their
clothing and surroundings than of
the severely sick i'm the early stages.
There are two simple methods of
rendering patients less liable to drop
sy after scarlet-fever. The first is by
rubbing them over frequently with
fatty substances, as lard or oil, and
thus forming coating which supplies
i'm part the loss of the scarf-skin.
The second is frequent warm baths
during convalescence they arc very
grateful, and tend to prevent internal
COMPOSITIONS, while they increase the
action of the skin. AS i'm the bath,
the old skin separates, and as this is
charged with the poison of scarlet
fever, great care should be taken to
move the refuse water beyond the
reach of exposure, or disinfect it.
No case of scarlet-fever, however
simple, should be unattended by a
competent physician.-Hearh and
Home.