Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-11-17
DIPETHERTA.

ne lOl!JWlnG circular on this fatal dis
ease has been issued by the State Board
Of Hesth:
SACRAMENTO, October 29th, 1877.
The continued prevalence of Diphtheria
in different parts Of the State, and its ap-
parent increase in some localities, justifes
the State Board Of Health in calling the
attention OF the public to few precau-
tonary measures which, in accordance
with the views row generally entertained
Of this disease, are considered properto be
observed.
When Diphtheria appears in family,
the precautions commonly taken to pre-.
vent communication OF the sick with the
well, in other contagious or infectious dis
eases, should be adopted in this. A child
or other person being attacked with the
disease, access to the room should be pro-
hibited to all except those necessary in the
capacity of nurses or attendants, and 9TH
er children should not be allowed to visit
the house. The same rule might be Judi
S4NN9iS pPPllNA W duullS.
The room of the patient should be well
ventilated, and wooden cloths, curtains.
and where practical, carpets should be re-
moved therolrom.
The saliva and expectoration oPthe sick
should be kept disniected by requiring
the vessels used to receive them to contain
II little OF one of the disinfectant sou-
tions. For this purpore the solution of
chloride Of zinc, in the proportion ofhalf
an ounce TO gallon of water, or the
chloralum-Or the solution of permaue-
anate Of potassa, sixteen grams to the
onnce-will be applicable, all ofthese be-
ing 0darless.
The clothes removed from the body of
the patient, as well as the bed linen when
changed should be Immediately dipped
INTO boiling water, to which may be prop
crly added to every gallon one ounce of
eulphate Of zinc (white vitroD, or half an
ounce of chloride Of zinc, or Condy's fluid
tpermanGanate of potassa, sixteen grains
to the ounce). Chloride OF lime and sui
phatc of iron common copperas), are OBJ
jectional for this purpose as the former,
ifused Of sufficient strength, win tend to
injure the fabric, while the latter will
Giain it badly.
Funerals OF those dying with this dis.
case should not be attended ut the house
by children, it having been rendered pro-
bable, by investigations conducted in
some of the Eastern cities, that the dis
semiaation of the malady is often effected
by this means.
There is reason to believe that diphthe-
ria may be communicated in the school
room, the liability being increased by the
fact that the disease may not be at once
recognized by parents, who consequently
exercise no restraint upon the attendance
OF their children. There cannot be too
much caution used by those having the
supervision Of children TO avoid this too
common method Of disseminating this and
ether infectious diseases. After GONZALES.
cence from an attack, it is prudent that
the child should be kept from the school
until its attendance is considered safe bv
the physician.
Cleanliness in and about dwellings,
draining Off or providing suitable re
ceptacIe for the waste water, slops, and
other substances accunulating around the
kitchen, the cleaning and disinlection of
cesspo3s, sewers and priyies and where
drains into these lead from the interior Of
houses, the provision o. n suitable tran for
the purpose Of preventing the ascent and
entrance Of sewer gas, are regarded as the
first Importance. As the traps in use are
often insecure, we cannot too strongly
urge the necessity of close attention to this
SUBJECT. In addition to The trap, the con
nection ola yentiiating tube with the soil
pipe, extending above the roof of the
house, would afford yet greater security.
Disintection in such cases may be cheap
ly effected by the free use of sulphate Of
iron (copporas), or by chloride Of line
Three pounds Of the former to an ordina-
ry huckettul Of water will commonly suf-
fee for single disinfection. The cblor-
ide of lime may be used in thesame man
ner-abont one pound to a gallon ofwater.
In towns which rely upon wells for
drinking and culinary purposes. care
should be taken to avoid their contamina-
ton by contiguous cesspools and other
fl tn deposits.
Lastly, when diphtheria is suspected in
member of the family, send for the
family physician, and under no circum-
stances rely upon the various nostrums or
fpocilc so often published in the newspa-
pers, or recommended by kind hearted
but ignorant advisers.