Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-12-06
Epidemics Among Children.

The other day, says a lady In an ex-
change, we listened to very interest
ing lecture on this subject given by a
member of the medical profession, and
took notes of portions oft for the bene-
fit of our readers.
The three epidemics spoken of were
measles. scarlet fever and smallpox. In
repeating what the physician stated We
shall say nothing about the treatment
of these diseases, leaving that to be de-
termined by each reader for himself,
and only mention points interes ting
alike to all.
A child affected with measles appears
to have a severe cold in the head its
ewes are red and very sensitive to the
light; its face is swollen and on the
third day the eruption appears on the
face in blotches of crescent or horse
shoe shape, which spread and cover the
surface of the body. When the finger is
pressed firmly on these red blotches the
redness does not go away.
Scarlet fever generally begins with
nausea, followed by pain in the limbs
and sore throat; the face is not swollen
and the eyes are not very sensitive to
the light. On the second day the rash
appears, first on the face IN small points
ofvivid red, which becomes dltfusedand
Spreadoverthe entire body. The tongue
is very white with blood-red spots ap-
pearing above the furred surface. If a
pencil or the finger is pressed firmly on
the skin the redness will give place for a
time, leaving the skin white where the
pressure was exerted, and then the scar
let returns. On the fifth day the rash
turns brown and the skin is very dry.
This is the dangerous time, since the
skin being unable to perform its func-
ton, the kidneys and lungs have double
work to do. At this stage of the illness
the foundation is often laid for Bright S
disease of the kidneys. and everything
depends on keeping the skin soft and
moist. This can be done by oiling it
freely with salad oil. with pure lard, with
unsalted butter, or what is most agree
able of all, with glycerine and rose wa
ter. two parts ofthe former 10 one OF the
latter. In England the favorite treat
ment is to immerse the patient in a
warm bath, which is repeated IRE
quently.
The symptoms of smallpox are. first,
a chill, then violent nausea, pain In the
head, and aching in the bones. On the
third day the eruption appears on the
forehead and about the face in scattered
pimples that feel when the finger is
passed over them as though bead or
the head of pin were i'm bedded in the
skin.
Measles require treatment so simple
that any intelligent mother should be
able to take her child safely through II.
The symptoms of scarlet fever and of
smallpox are so pronounced that they
are not likely to be mistaken. The first
thing to be done is to quarantine the
patient. so as TO prevent the infection
from spreading. This can be success
fully done by placing him in a top room
of the house, from which carpets, up
holsterered furniture and woolens of
every description should be removed.
The furniture left should he of the SIM
plest description, a single or three
quarter bed for the patient, lounge
for the nurse to recline supOn, wooden
or tagged chairs, and a table. There
should be a CRATE in the room and fire
kindled in ii. This Will not only keep
the room ventilated, but destroy the
germs of the disease as they pass over
the flame on their way out of the room.
Since so much in these diseases de-
pends on the care taken of the patient,
there should be two nurses, in order
that one may be on the watch while the
other is resting. There is no danger of
contagion until the eruption comes TO
the surface, so that in case of scarlet
fever the mother has two days TO take
precautions against the spread of the
Infection, and in smallpox three days
When the disease is passed the bed
clothes may be disinfected by thor
ough boiling and all not treated in thi:
way should be burned.