The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-11-27
DIPHTHERIA.
Means by Which q Contagious
and Infectious Disease May
-.,.. be Averted.
New Haven Register.)

H2CoAbS w ouS" - SObneo8 uOHAc
and Infectious Disease May
.... be Averted.
.sfrrs (New haven Register)
At the meeting of the Board of Health
last evening, Health Officer Lindsey, in
accordance with the suggestions of the
Board at q previous meeting, submitted
the following paper. 1t will be printed
in pamphlet form for general circula-
ton: esslR{pr5 .rfa a 5f l
Dipththeria is both a contagious and
an infectious disease; it is, moreover,
pre-eminently one of the class of filth.
|diseases-that is, it. occurs most fires
quently and in the most malignant and
fatal form where dampness and dirt do
most prevail. The means of protection,
therefore obviously lie in avoidance Of
exposure to its presence and In the most
|scrupulous attention to cleanliness. Alb
solute isolation of. the sick, the most
rigid purity of surroundings, aided by
disinfection when required, would prob
ably exterminate the disease. The vet
eran sanitarian, DR.. E. M. Snow, OF
Providence, says that where there is
abundans sunlight, dryness, cleanness
and pure air, diphtheria cannot prevail.
The same conditions will protect almos.
80 effectually from most other dangerous
diseases such being the truth, neither
individuals nor committees can afford to
ignore the fact that they are in great
degree responsible for their own health,
When case occurs in any family, the
sick person should be placed in room
apart from the other inmates OF the
house, and should be nursed as far as
possible by one person only, The sick
chamber should be well warmed, we'll
aired and exposed to sunlight; It's furni.
ture should. be such as can be cleansed
acknowledgement all superfuous things,
as window and table drapery, wooden
carpets and the like should be removed.
The family should not mingle with other
people. Visitors should be warned OF
the, presence of q contagious disease,
and children should not be admitted to
the. house. ......-.s...--.,,iis8i ~ tia
All clothing removed from the patient
should be st.ohce placed in boiling wa
ter; instead Of handkerchief, soft pieces
OF linen or cotton cloth should be used
aud burned, Immediately. Disinfectsnts
should be placed In oil the vessels which
receive the expectoration or other dis
charges from the patient. Disinfectants
should also ,be. freely used In the sick
room; those which destroy bad odors
without causing others are best, as solu-
ton OF nitrate of lead aud chloride Of
zinc. ........,....... VS. el5 ~
The sick person should not mipgle
with others until. fully recovered, and in
cases Of scarlet fever until all roughress
|nfs the.skin, Que to the disease, has dis.
appeared, because the exfoliated skin is
especially infectious. ysaes.s
The disinfection Of the sick room
should be thorough. The walls should
be dry rubbed and the cloths used burn
ed without shaking; the ceiling should
be scraped and lime.washed; the floor
and woodwork should be washed with
soap and water. The clothing or bed.
ding used by the patient or nurse should
be purified by boiling at least one hour,
and should always be cleaned by them
selves, and under no circumstances
should they be sent to laundry. In
case OF death the body should be placed
as early as practicable in the coffin, With
disiniectants, and the coffin tightly clos.
ed. ,s4ag sa.
Children certainly, and in most cases
adults, should not attend q funeral from
q house in which q death from diphthe-
ria or scarlet fever has occurred. But
with suitable precautions lis not neces
sary sthst funerals should be strictly pri.
yate, provided that the corpse be not in
any way exposed. &
Because children are especially liable
to take and to spread these diseases, and
because schools afford q free opportuni.
ty for this, every child from any family
| ia which . lease of eeither of these dis.
eases has occurred should be excluded
from school, and be'readmitsed not soon.
er than one month from the beginning
of the disease, except upon the cer,if.
cate Of some competent physician that
twill be safe.Se + k.aaiAes,
All the above precautions concern the
dangersof icontagion. But the contin
ned prevalence of these diseases in any
community 10 probable evidence of id
sanitary surroundings and of sources ol
sickness, partially OF wholly preventable
The most exemplary housewife whose
home is the very model of neatness and
order may have all her efforts defeated
in . sanitary sense by defective sink
trap or q ieaky drain pipe, or an over
flowing eesspool or an undfained cellar
or even by a'heap Of decaying garbag,
|in her neighbor's yard. a;.
Therefore, look well to the surround
ilings. Abolish filth, remove sdampnes.
and all sources of foul air, especially
from living and sleeping rooms. Disin
feet thoroughly all suspected places il
yards and neglected corners.
The following disinfectant is both very
lcneap ana emclent: gi0T 3 44s5f4iis
Take Of copperas (sulphate OF iron
1--we pounds, and dissolve in three gallon
of water. .g5sl ftaasi5Gf
The sitting room should be put In OF
der every night before retiring.
Sunday School teacher to pupil
(aNow, my little man, can you explain t,
us the cause of Adams fall ?" Littl
man (emphaticalIy !: "Yes, sir; 'caus
he hadn't any ashes to throw on the sid
walk. al y eII96-swo a3
The ghost Of Noah Webster came Il
, q spiritual medium in Alabama not lon
since, and wrote on slip Of paper: 81
} IL lite times" Noah was right, but W
are sorry to see he has gone back on hi
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