National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-12-30
The Scarlet Fever.

As means of lessening the spread of
the highly contagious disease, the Medi-
cal Gazette publishes the subioined pre-
cautions, which have been satisfactorily
tested IN England, in very large num-
Der of Instances
DIRECTIONS
l. On She first appearance of the dis
ease, the patient should be placed in a
separate apartment, rs near the top of
the house as possible, from which all
curtains, carpets, bed hangings, and
other needless articles of furniture
should be removed, and no person ex-
cept the medical attendant and the nurse
or mother permitted to enter the room.
2. A basin containing solution of chic
ride of lime or carbolic acid should be
placed near the bed for the patient to
spit in. B. large vessel containing
water, into which has been poured either
Condy's fluid or the solution of chloride
of soda or lime should be kept in the
room, and into this all the bed and body
linen in the room, as soon as it is re-
moved from the patient. and all soiled
towels, &c, should be placed having
been kept there some time, the things
may be removed and sent to the laundress.
4. Pocket-handkerchiefs should not be
used, but pieces of rag should be used
instead, for wiping the mouth and nose
Of the patient each piece, after being
once used, should be Immediately burned.
5. A plentiful supply of water and tow
els should be kept for the use of the
nurse, whose hands will of necessity be-
come soiled by the secretions of the pa
tent; in one hand basin the water should
be imrregnated with Condy's fluid or
chlotides by which the taint on the
hands may be at once removed. 6.
All glasses, plates, cups, or other vessels
used in the sick room, should be scru-
pulously cleansed in boiling water, be-
fore being used by other persons. 7.
Outside the door Of the sick chamber u
sheet should be suspended so as to cover
the entire doorway should be kept con
stantly wet with solution of carbolic
acid or chloride of lime The effect of
this will be to keep every other part of
the house free from Infection. 8. The
discharges from the bowels and kidneys
of the patient should be received into
vessels charged with disinfectants. snch
as the solution of carbolic acid or chlo-
ride OF lime, and Immediately removed.
BY these means, the poison thrown of
from the internal surfaces may be rem
dered inert and deprived of the power
of propagating the disease. 8. The thir
skin of the cuticle which peels off from
the hands, face and other parts of the
body in convalescent patients, is highly
contagious. The plan recommended fol
preventing the poison from the skin be
ing disseminated through the air is tc
rub oil or lard all over the skin. This
practice to commence on the fourth day
after the appearance of the eruption
and to be continued every day until the
[ patient is well, enough to take "a warm
bath. These baths should he admins
tered every other day four times, wher
the dlslnfection of the skin may be re
garded ms complete. This, however
should not be done without first consult
ing the medical attendant The forego-
ing directions will apply to all kinds of
fever. smallpox, and other contagious
IIspnspS