Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-04-19
SC.fRLE7 FRu.RR.


Tho following advice comes to us from n
successful physician, regarding the best
method Of avoiding contagion in scarlet fe-
yer.
l. On the first appearance of the disease,
the patient should be placed in separate
apartment, as near the top of the house as
possible, from which curtains, carpets, bed
hangings, aud other needless articles Of
furniture should be removed, and no per-
son except the medic u attendent and nurse
or mother permitted 10 enter the room.
2. basin containing a solution of chlo-
ride of lime or carbolic acid should be plac-
ed near the bed for the patient TO spit in.
3. IIandkcrchiefs not to he used, but
pieces of rag employed instead for wiping
the mouth and nose of the patient; each
pie ce, after being used, should Immediate
ly be burned.
4. A plentiful supply of water and tow
els should be kept for the use Of the nurse,
whose hands of necessity will be soied by
the secretions Of the patient. In one hand
basin, the water should be imprognatcd
with Condy's fluid OF chlorijes, by which
the faint on the hand may at once be re-
moved.
8. outside the door OF tho sick room, n
sheet should be suspended SO ds to cover
the entire doorway; this should be Kept
wet with n solution of lime. The effect Of
this will be 10 keep every other part of the
house free from infection.
6. The discharges OF the bow els aud
kidneys of the patient should he received
into vessels charged with disinlcctants,
such as the solution of carbllc acid, or
chloride of lime, aud Immediately ronoy-
ed. BY these means tie poison thrown of
from internal surfaces may be rendered
inert, and deprived of the power of propa-
eating the disease.
I. The thin skin or outicle which pees
of from the hands, face, and other parts OF
the body in convaescent patients, is high
~ contagious. The plan recommended ior
preventing the poison from the skin be-
ing disseminated through the air is 10 rul
oil or lard all over the skin. This practice
is TO commence on the fourth day after the
appearance of the eruption, and 20 be con-
tinued every day until the patient is well
enough TO take Il warm bath. These baths
should be administered every o.Her day foi
four times, when the diseniectiou of the
skin may be regarded as complete. This
however, should not be done without first
consulting the medical attendant.
The foregoing directions will apply tC
all kinds of fever, smallpox, aud other con-
tagious diseases.
The patient having been removed, all
linen articles, such as sheets, towels, pill
lowcases, and body linen, are to be Olsen.
fected by placing them in large vessel con.
tanning either Condy's fluid or the solution
of chloride of lime or soda. The blank cts
counterpanes, and wooden articles Of cloth
ing, are to he suspended on lines, and mat.
tresscs and beds on the backs of chairs, the
furniture is also TO he removed from The
walls, the windows closed, paper pasted
over the creviees, the chimney opening o.
the fireplace is also to be stopped up. An
open iron vessel is next placed in the mid
die Of the room, into which is put quarter
of n pound of stone birthstone; the brim.
stone is then to be ignited, and the person
who does it must Immediately leave the
apartment close the door, and paste paper
over the croviccs. At the expiration o
twehty-four hours, the room may be enter.
ed and the doors AID windows thrown oper
to allow the fumes of sulphur to escape
by this process the room and everything
in it may be considered to have been thor
ouehly disenlected. anil HeaHh.