Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-11-27
Diphtheria and Soarlet-Fever.
EFrOm the New Haven ReGister.l

cordauce with the suggestions OF the Board
st n previous meeting, submitted the t"lloW.
ing paper. 1t will be printed IN pamphlet
form for general circulation
Dipktheria is both contagious and an in-
fectious disease; il is, moreover, preemInentiY
one of the class OF filth dIseases-thst
Is, it occurs most frequently snd in the
most malignant and fatal form where dsmP>
ness aud dirt do most prevail. The
means of protection. therefore, obviously lie
in avoidance OF exposure to its presence aud
in the most scruplous attention to cleanliness.
Absolute isolation OF the sick, the most rigid
purity OF surroundings aided by diSinieciion
when required would probably extermanAte
the disease. The veteran sanitsrlan DIR +.
NJ Sow, OF Providence says that where
there is abundant sunlight. dryness, clean
liucss, aud pure air. diph'heria cannot prevail.
The same condiiuus will protect almost
effectually from mast other dangerous dis
eases Such being the truth, neither indi>
vdua nor communities can atfTd t" ignore
tie fact that they in a great degree re-
spons bic for their own health.
When u csse occUr' in any family tho
sick person should be placed il room
apart from the other inmates of the house.
and should be nursed far possible bv
one person only. The sick chamber should
be well warmrd, well aired. srd exposed to
sunlight; its furniture should be such rs
can be cleansed without injury. aud all SUI
perflunus things. as window, and trblc-dra-
perry, wool,n carpet, and the ike. should bs
removed. The family should not minEls
with other people Eieitors should bo
warned of the presence Of n contagious dis
case and children should not be admitted 10
the house.
All clo,hiug removed from tho patient
| should be at once J laooi in hOilin: water
! instead of haudk erchirfs soft pieces of hneu
! er cotton cloth should be used aud imme-
diateIy burned. DI>i.ftctantS should bo
| placed IN all vessels which received the ex~
! pec.ur4tion or other discharges from the pa
| tiont Distinctions should also he freely
/ used in the sick-room. Those which de,troy
/ b.d odors thlut ciusirg others bes'.
such as solutions of uitrid OF lead and chloride
! OF zrnc.
The sick person should not minglo with
| oilers until fully recovered. aud in case1 Of
! scarlet fever until all r0Ighnrss Of the skin,
due TO the disease. has disappeared, because
| the exfoialed skin is especially Infectious.
| The disnfection of the sick room should
/ be thorough The walls should he dry
! rubbed and the cloths used burned without
/ shaking; the ceiling should he scrsped aud
lime. washed. The tnnr aud woodwork should
+ be washed with soap and water. The cloth-
ing OF heddiug used 10y the patient or nuT-"
should be purified hy boiling for NJ least "nd
/ hour, and should always he cleaned hy them
I selves, and under circumstances should
they be sent to n laundry In of death
the body should he Plneeh as early As prac-
tcablc in the coffin, with dIsiuiuctauts, aud
the coffin ghtly closed.
Children certainly. aud in most casrs adults,
should not attend funeral from house /"
which a death from dipthcrin "r scarlet fever
has occurred Bot with suitable precautions
/ it is not ueces, AIRY that the burial shou d bI
strictly private. provide thai the cor $50 10
( not in any way exposed.
/ Because children are especially Liable ~
( take aud to spread these dIsca-es, aud ta-
cause schools atC:d free opportunity tOc
/ this, every child from any family Iu wh'c"
case OF either of these diseases has "c""sI-"
should he excluded from school, and he '"-
admitted not sooner than one month i'"",
the begrrning Of the disease, czceIt Ip""
the cert fcare of some competent ph b!C.-U
Inat it will be safe.
4 tho above precautions concern i"-
dangers OF contagipn I; but the continued rrc~
vaience nf these diserSCs ia any community
! Is probable ev 'denCe Of in-anItaTy surrounds
ngs md of sources Of sickness partially or
wholly prevrrtable. The most exemplary
, housewife, whose home Is the very model of
neafnpss ard order, may have all her efforts
Z defeated, in a sanitary sense, hy n doiecuve
-iuk-rrap esky drain pipe. or an over
flowing ce--pool or urGrarn"d cellar. or
even by heap Of decIying garbage II her
nci.hh"r's yard
/ Therefore look we'll to The surroundings.
f Abolish 'fth. remove dampue-s aud all
! sources of foul air, c-Pecialiy from living
( aud eepug rooms. Di-uiect rhT"u"hly all
I suspected places ia yards aud ues elected
1 corner,
( The following d'siufecrant is both very
cheap aud efficient: Take of c"pperas (suI-
phate of irpnJ five mounds, aud dissolve III
three gallons OF water.
/ A NARROW GArGE RAGLaoAD IY WEST
/ VIRGIAIA.-The Weston CIV. NaJ DeB.o-
/ craf states that the directors Of the Wcrtuu
Narrow Gauge Railroad Company have been
authorized to issue bonds sufficient to cDU,-
plete the building of ,he road-rrt Cxcped-
ing SlOO, ,UUU-fTom Weston to CisrksbuTg
( A contract has been entered into with
perienccd railroad builders for the compile
, tion of the road bed Cincuiiby cu'r. iiir.
/ bridges trestliug. runneIns. &c } for IN"
whole distance for the sum nI $40 600. TIE
/ work is TO be commenced 1T aud COM
/ pleted by the LIT OF July next. Steps have
( also been taken for procuring the iron and
. rolling stOcx for TIE completion and e9nIp>
ment OF the road and It il expected that IN
( less then twelve months the people OF "es-
: ton will be enjoying all the benefits Of a rail-
/ road. Ii Is also proposed IN continue tho
I road from Weston to Charleston, kanaTha
county.