Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-02-17

Scarlet-Fever.
By AN EMINENT PHYSICIAN.

Scarlet-fever is defined to be febrile
disease, the product Of . specific poison,
which is reproduced during the pro-
rress of the affection. Like smallpox,
t spreads by infection and contagion.
The CONTAGIOUS principle 10 exceedingly
subtle. It fills the atmosphere OF the
rooms Of the sick, and clings with desper-
rate tenacity to clothing. A strip OF nan
mel may remain contagious for upwards
of . year; and Q cloak put on eighteen
mouths after it, exposure has communi-
Gated the disease This fact shows the ne
cessity of thorough ventilation OF the
rooms of the sick, and of the complete
disinfection of all articles OF clothing used
about them. It also proves that those
who visit the Mck of scarlet fever are very
liable to carry the poison in theirclothing,
and disseminate it widely. 1t very often
happens that it is quite impossible TO
trace the origin of an outbreak OF scarlet
fever in . family. 1t may. occur first IN
the infant. who has never sbeen out OF
doors. In such cases, it is undoubtedly In
troduced by the clothing of some person
who has visited the room of one sick OF
this disease. Physicians undoubtedly
often transport the poison from family to
family; and many are so impressed with
the danger that they always wash their
hands, and thoroughly change or venti-
late their clothing, before visiting other
patients.
The period of incubation of the poison
| varies from q few hours to one week
The first symptom is generally vomiting !;
| fever soon sets in the throat Is slightly
sore; there is headache, thirst, restless
ness, and slight delirium at night. These
nh ,Nt fnRt .01D
hours, when the rash makes its appear
ance over the lower part Of 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 on the chest and body, and about
the third day from its appearance on the
hands and feet, it disappears altogether.
| It 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 dandruff-
like scurf, which consists of the scarf
| skin or scales, loosened and thrown of 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 renders the patient peculiar
| ly liable to suppression OF perspiration
| on the slightest exposure OF 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 ap.
| pearance of a straw berry. The disease
may begin quite. differently. The affection
of the throat may be the principal symp.
tom, with swelling, and but small
amount of rash; or the patient may be
| suddenly overwhelmed with the poison,
and die without an eruption.
No specific remedy has yet been found
for scarlet fever. Belladonna has been ex.
tensively employed; but no positive
results have been obtained. Judicious
nursing is far more important than medi
cines. The patient should be placed in
room having uniform temperature, day
and night, of about 89e to ZOE, well aired
without exposure 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 estab
lished. Cold drinks should be given very
sparingly; but the body may be sponged
over frequently when the skin is hot II
is well to put a light flannel scarf around
the neck, and to apply camphorated OF
daily freely around and under the angle
of the jaw The diet should consist OF
rice water, or similar simple liquid
nourishment, until the eruption subsidies
when it may be solid, but must still be
simple, as rice, farina, etc.
| Ia nf hn fouar a
| passed in safety, the danger will depend
face to cold, and the resulting dropsy. II
ia surprising how sensitive the denuded
body is to cold; the change Of an article
of clothing, the lowering Of the tempera-
ture 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 Precipitation and
induce drepsy. Il is for this reason that
the light cases are more often followed by
serious consequence; less care is taken OF
their clothing and surroundings than oil
the severely sick in the carly stages.
There are two simple methods of rem.
dering patients less liable to dropsy after
scarlet-fever. The first is by rubbing
them over frequently with fatty sub.
stances, as lard or oil, and thus forming q
coating which supplies in part the loss OF
the scarf skin. The second is, frequent
warm baths during convalescence; they
are very grateful, and tend to prevent in
ternal COMPOSITIONS, while they increase
the action of the skin, AS in the bath,
the old skin separates, and as this ID
charged with the poison of scarlet'fever
great care should be taken to remove the
refuse water beyond the reach OF ex'
posure, or disinfect it. ;.
No case Of scarlet fever, however sim.
ple, should be unattended by competent
physician. -Hedrth and Home.
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