Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-02-22


| DIRECTIONS FOR PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF
| DIPHTHEEn PROM CASE OCCURRING II A
| FAMILY
As soon as it is found that the case is one
of diphtheria, or, indeed, as soon as it is
suspected, procure at once from the nearest
druggist IL ounces of the oficinal solution
of bromine. Now have a small vial with a
large mouth if practicable, fill it half full
with the solution. Let the vial remain open.
Place it on a mantle piece. if there is no fire
beneath, or on the top Of a bureau, for the
vapor of bromine il heavier than air and
therefore descends to the lower layers of air
in the room. From the uncorked vial the
| vapor of bromine passes oil in purple fumes.
| Ii n person will stand near the vial he will
J feel that the vapor will cause his eyes to
/ smart. 1t will irritate his throat. If this
| effect is produced on any one entering the
room the yapor comes off more rapidly than
it should. This too rapid escape of the va
por may be regulated by stopping the vial
for II while and opening it again at intervals,
| or by pouring the bromine out into n china
cup or glass tumbler, a few drops at time,
or by putting cork into the bottle with q
notch in its side so M to let but little vapor
escape The cork may be pared away from
time to time as the solution grows weaker.
The quantity to be used depends entirely
upon the size of the room and the freedom
of its ventilation. | have spoken of one
vial being exposed at time. That is
enough for a small room. In large room
two walls should be used. When the vapor
comes to be weak in the vial some of the
fresh solution may be added from time to
time until the walls get full. When the vial
gets full, and no longer gives off much smell.
pour some of it into saucer and place the
saucer in n pan of hot water. The heat will
4 -. 80 tba of .ka
The odor of the bromine should be always
plain and distinct in the room. 1t need new
er be so strong rs to make the eyes smart or
interfere with the breathing. 1t should re
main in the room until the disease has dis
appeared. There is no danger of taking
diphtheria by going into such sick room.
No person will take the disease from the sick
child while the vapor of bromine is in the
room. unless he kisses the child.
This process of disinfection may be prac-
tised in every room in the house. 1t may be
prudent, in the midst of epidemics. to do it.
Commonly it is not necessary If anyone
will take the trouble to keep bromine vapor
in the house when diphtheria is epidemic
no one will have the disease. child kept
at home is out of danger. He may go out
and get diphtheria. but he cannot get it in
the house. While using the bromine in this
way, it will be less offensive if the atmos-
phere is not filled with vapor, especially with
the steam of boiling water. Bromine vapor
meeting the vapor in the air forms some hy-
drobromic ether, which is mole irritating
than the bromine vapor.
The smell of the bromine attaches to car
pets and woolen clothes for long time.
Heat will drive it of Boiling is the most
effective resource. Exposure to the dry heat
of Il stove or to strong sunshine may answer.
The bottle containing the solution of brom-
inc when not in use, should be stoppered
with beeswax. 1t eats cork up in a short
time. If the druggist does not happen to
have the solution, he can make it by dissolv-
ing the pure bromine in solution of the
bromide of potassium according to the for
mula OF Lawrence Smith, which is as follows
Bromine one troy ounce ; bromide of potas-
SUM, two drachms !; water, four ounces
mix.
If the people of our State will adopt these
precautions and use the remedy freely as
herein advised, | feel confident that they will
save the lives of all the uninfected members
of the family as far as catching the disease
from the case in the house is concerned. No
one need fear to use this process, for it can
not produce any harm, while it will be of
essential service to the child that is ill.-Dr.
" GodsmiH, in EUilHs Herald.