The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-05-15

ITS nEsTaIcTIox AMI PnEvRS.
TIONs

ITS uEsTRICTIoN AND PREvRS
TION.
pocuSlrsr issuRp pY rnE MICHIGAN srArl
BOARD or nRALTu.
Scarlet fever Is now believed 10 be
one OF the most contagious diseases. :
One attack usually prevents subse
quent attacks. The greatest nnmbel
OF deaths from this disoaae are Of chill
dren under 10 years OF age. Adult
perrons do sometimes have the disease.
bcarlet fever is believed TO arise from I
special contagium or poison which may
be conveyed, TO persons previously IN.
affected, by personal contact. by infeo-
ted clothing or paper rags. or by any
Of the discharges from the body OF a
person affected with the disease.
The discharges from the throat, nose
aud mouth are considered extremely
dangerous, but those from the skin,
eyes, ears, kidneys and bowels are also
dangerous. and remain so for consid-
cradle time.
Filth, all forms OF uncleanliness, aud
neglect Of ventilation increase tho dan
ger Of spreading the disease.
Communications. 1t is believed that
the disease may be communicated by n
person recovering therefrom 40 long as
the usual subsequent scaling or peel
ing Of the akin continues, which some
times Ia not completed before the lapse
OF 20 or 80 days. although usually com
pleted sooner.
The interval OF time which may
elapse after exposure 10 the contagium
Of scarlet fever and during which a
susceptible person 80 exposed may ex-
pect 10 be taken sick with the disease,
varies from 10 IL days.
Separation OF the sick from the well.
Whenever n child has sore throat aud
fever, and especially when this is acc N
panied by rash on the body. tho child
should be Immediately isolated rs CON-
pletely a. possible from other members
Of the household, and from other per-
sons, until n physician has seen il aud
determined whether il has scarlet fever.
All persons known 10 be sick with this
disease should be promptly and thor
oughly isolated from tho public.
That this is OF more importance
than in the case OF smallpox is indica-
ted by the fact OF the much greater
number OF cases OF sickness and OF
deaths from scarlet fcver--a disease in
which there is no such preventive
known as vaccination.
The room into which one sick with
this disease is placed shonld previous
ly DO cleared of all needless clothing,
carpets, drapcry and other materials
likely 10 harbor the poison Of the dis
ease, except such articles as are essen
tial to the well-being Of the patient
The sick room may have no carpet, or
only pieces which can afterwards be
destroyed. Provision should be made
for the introduction OF liberal supply
Of fresh air aud the continual change
Of the air OF the room without sensible
currents or drafts.
Pocket handkerchieis that need 10 be
saved should not be used by the pa
tient: small pieces OF rag should be
substituted therefor. and after being
once used should be Immediately
burned.
Soiled bed aud body linen should be
placed in vessels of water containing
chlorinated soda, chlorinated lime, or
other disinfectant, before removal hon
the sick room,
For this purpose chlorinated soda is
the neatest aud most convenient be-
cause ID can be used with soap, but il
is apt TO lose it's disinfecting proper
ties by age. Chlorinated lime, II used
too freely, may destroy articles OF
Clothing with which it comes in con-
tact, but il properly used ii is tho safe
est as disinfectGnt.
The discharges from the patient
should all be received into vessels con-
tanning chloriuated lime Commonly
called Chloride OF lime, sulphate OF
iron, or some other known disinfect-
ant, (carbolic acid in dilute form, as
generally used, ia not believed to be q
disiniectanC, aud the same buried at
once, and not by any means be thrown
into a running steam, nor into cess
pool, or water closet, except after hav-
ing been thoroughly disiniccted. All
vessels should be kept scrupulously
clean and disinfected.
Perfect cleanliness Of nurses and at
tendants should be enioined aud Sc
cured. As the hands OF nurses Of ne.
csssity become frequently csntamina-
ted by the poison OF tho disease.
good supply Of towels and two basins
-one containing solution OF chlorlna-
ted soda U.Abaracque's solution), chlo-
rinated limo or other disinfecting solu-
tiop, and another for plain soap and
water. should be always at hand and
| freely used.
Persons who are attending upon
children or other persons suffering
from scarlet fever, and also the men,
bers of the patients family, should
not mingle with other people nor per-
NIT the entrance Of children into their
house.
Fruerals Of those dying from scarlet
fever should be strictly private and the
corpse not exposed 10 view. To svoid
mistakes, notices of such deaths in the
papers should state that the deceased
died OF scarlet fever.
All persons recovering from scarlet
fever should be considered dangerous,
and therefore should not attend school.
church, or any public assembly. or use
any public conveyance, so long as any
scaling or peeling OF the skin, sore
ness OF the eyes or air passages, OF
symptoms Of dropsy remain. No per.
son recovering from scarlet fever should
thus endanger the public health nor
appear in public until after having Ia
ken four times, ut intervals OF two days,
q thorough bath. This cleansing,
however, should be deferred until thc
physician in charge considers il Rru'
dent. After recovery from scarlet fe-
yer, no person should appear in pub
lie wearing the same clothing worn
while sick with or recovering from this
disease. except such clothing has been
thoroughly disinfected by some such
method as herein specified.
Gaseous disinfection, or fumigation,
can only be completely and entirely ef'
foctual in the absence OF living per
sons. as fumes strong enough for the
purpose are destructive OF human life
This need not deter from doing SC
much a. is possible, without injury u
sick persons, for the purihcatisn OF The
air OF rooms occupied by them-a lib
eral supply OF pure air should be SO
cured; but after the sick have recover
ed, the room, furniture, and other con
tents not 10 be destroyed, should b,
thoroughly exposed for several hours