Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-29

Precautions to be Taken for tho Proven.
ton Of Diphtheria.

Precautions to be Taken for tho Proven
ton of Diphtheria.
Owing to the extensive prevalence of
diphtheria in that community, the
New York health officer desires, as a
precaution, to call the attention of all.
particularly of parents, to the follow.
ing suggestion:
]. Since diphtheria, in a large de-
gree, seems to be caused by filth, es-
pecially that arising from stagnant
water, defective drainage, ETC., it is in
cumbent upon the citizens, particularly
those who inhabit houses not possess
ing the proper sewer connections, to
keep their premises in all respects as
clean as possible. Rigid sanitary in
spection is now proceeding, and for
your own good, lend your assistance in
this direction to the health depart
ment.
2. Keep your children away from
the houses and from intercourse with
the inmates Of houses where the dis
ease prevails.
3. When you suspect that the disease
has attacked any member of your FAM
lily, isolate that member as completely
as possible, without even waiting to be
advised upon this point by your ply
sician.
4. Although it has not been definitely
settled that diphtheria is contagious af-
ter death, yet as long as there is a rea-
sonable doubt that such may be the
case, do not allow your children to at
tend the funerals of those who have
died from it, particularly where such
funerals take place from the house.
5. At the outset the disease is very
often insidious, no local symptoms be-
ing complained of or recognized bp the
parent until too late for successful
treatment Examine your children's
Threats from time to time, and if any
undue redness Or swelling is discover
ed, or If you are In doubt in regard to
the appearances, send Immediately for
q physician, in order that treatment, if
it is necessary, should be commenced
early. This is particularly important,
since the disease is much more success
fully treated in its early stages than
later, when it may terminate fatally in
spite of all treatment.
These precautions should be taken
without fail, and daily inspection made
Of the throat where the disease has al
ready attacked one member of the
family.
6. Suspicion should always be ex-
cited when child complains of sore
throat, or when without any complaint
it is languid, feverish, and has dis
charge from its nostrils In either
event your physician should be sum-
montd.
Z. AS there is every reason to believe
that in every city many contagious dis
eases are widely spread by means of
the schools, either from the attendance
of children who come from infected
houses, or who may be actually suff er-
ing themselves from unrecognized sick.
ness, or who may have resumed their
studies when convalescent from these
diseases before recovery is complete,
therefore no child should be allowed to
attend school when diphtheria exists
in it's family, nor when it has itself any
symptoms, no matter how slight, which
should arouse suspicion; nor when it
is convalescent from the disease, till
the attending physician deems it per-
fectly safe for it to do so. 1t is far bet
ter tina. child should be absent from
school for a few days, than that any
risk should be incurred of transmitting
the disease.