, 1877-12-08

OtpUtO01u0s
The following report, made by
the sanitary committee Of the Board
of Health of New York, in 1874,
will be read with interest at the
present ZINE, when this epidemic is
so prevalent and fatal on this coast:
Diptheria is caused by the inocu-
lation of the air passages with the
diphtheritic poison, which from this
point infects the whole system, the
local Inflammation is attended by
the formation of membrane (exuda-
tion); the fever and general symp-
toms are the result of this local in
fection. Diptheria is therefore a
contagious disease, not perhaps
as marked as scarlet fever j in
duced by contact with objects and
persons infected. 1t may be in
duced by the exhalations of the
sick by the air surrounding them.
or directly by the exudation, COM
municated in the act of kissing,
coughing, splitting, sneezing, or by
the infected articles used, as towels,
napkins, handkerchiefs, etc. The
poison clings with great tenacity to
certain places, rooms and houses,
where it may occasion cases after
the lapse of months.
In ordinary attacks the poison be-
gins to act the moment it lodges up
on the tissues. but like a vaccina-
ton, causes but slight sensible ef-
fects in from two to five days; then
there is marked prostration, dry
ness of throat and pricking pain in
swallowing; the throat becomes red
and patches of white exudation ap-
pear and the glands of the neck
swell. In mild cases these symp-
toms subside on the third or fourth
day from their appearance; if more
severe, these symptoms may be pro-
longed;- if unfavorable, the fever
increases, the local Inflammation.
spreads and exhaustion rapidly fol-
lows.
Cleanliness in and around the
dwelling, and pure air in living and
sleeping rooms are of the utmost
importance where any contagious
disease is prevailing, as cleanliness
tends both to prevent and mitigate
it. Every kind and source of filth
around and in the house should be
thoroughly removed; cellars and
foul areas should be cleaned and
disinfected; drains should be put in
perfect repair; dirty walls and cell
ings should be lime-washed, and
every occupied room should be
thoroughly ventilated. Apartments
which have been occupied by per-
sons sick with diphtheria should be
cleaned with disinfectants; ceilings
lime washed and woodwork painted;
the carpets, bedclothing, upholster-
ed furniture, etc.. exposed many
days TO fresh air and the sunlight
all articles which may be boiled or
subjected to high degrees of heat
should be thus disinfected; such
rooms should be subject to currents
VI llcSA dlI xO1 hb xC66V OA0 WCCA OC-
fore reoccuptation.
No child should be allowed to
kiss strange children nor those suf-
fering from sore throat; the disgust
ing custom of compelling children
to kiss every visitor is we'll con-
trived method of propagating other
grave diseases than diphtheria; nor
should it sleep with or be confined
to rooms occupied by. or use arti-
cles, as toys, taken in the mouth,
handkerchiefs, etc., belonging to
children having sore throat, Group
or catarrh. If the weather is cold
the child should be warmly clad
with fannels.
The we'll children should be scru-
pulously kept apart from the sick in
dry, we'll aired rooms, and every
possible source of infection through
the air, by personal contact with the
sick, and by articles used about
them or in their rooms, should be
rigidly guarded. Every attack of
sore throat, cough or catarrh, should
be at once attended to; the feeble
should have invigorating food and
treatment.
The sick should be rigidly isolat-
ed in we'll aired (the air being en-
tirely changed at least hourly, sun
lighted rooms, the outflow OF air
being. as far as possible through
the external windows by depressing
the upper and elevating the lower
sash, or chimney heated by a fire
in an open fireplace; all discharges
from the mouth and nose should be
received into vessels containing dis
infectants, as solutions of carbolic
acid or sulphate of zinc; or upon
cloths which are Immediately burn
ed. or if not burned, thoroughly
boiled or placed under disinfect-
ing fluid.
The Inauguration of Genera