Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-01-09
plptheria-KOw 1t May be lyerted.

III \S'''N' ''o' u ~ b'oi"'' f''bh>
sley, health officer, submit j he fol-
lowing paper:
Diptheria is both contagious and
an infectious disease; it is, moreover,
pre.emiaently one OF the class of filth
l.diseases--that is, it occurs most FREE
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.
Absolute isolation of the sick. the
most rigid purity of surroundings,
aided by disinfection when required,
would probably exterminate the dis
ease. The veteran sanitarian. Dir Il
NJ. Snow, OF Providence, says that
where there is abundant sunlight, dry
ness, cleanliness and pure air dipthe-
ria cannot prevail. The same condi
tons will protect almost as effectually
from most other danger US diseases.
Such being the truth, neither indivi
duals nor communities can afford to
ignore the fact that they ere in a great
degree responsible for their own
health.
When a case occurs iii any family
the sick peIson should be placed in
room apart from the other inmates OF
the house, and should be Bursed, as
far as possible, by one person only.
The sick chamber should be well
warmed, well aired and exposed to
sunlight; its furniture should be such
as can be cleansed without injury, and
all superhuous things, such 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
ofthe presence of a contagious disease,
aud children should not be admitted
TO the house.
All clothing removed from tie
patient should be at once placed in
boiling water. Instead of banker
chiefs soft pieces Of linen or cotton
cloth should be used. aud Immediately
burned. Dlsntectsnts should be
plac q 10 all the vessels which receive
the expectolaiion or other discharges
frnm the patent. Dlsinfecrants should
also be freely used in the sick room
Those which oesiroy bad odors with
out causing others are best. such as
solutions of nitrate of lead and chic.
nie Of zinc,
The sick patient should not mingle
with others until fully recovered, and
in cases of scarlet fever until all rough
hess of the skin due to the disease has
disappeared because the exfoliated
skin is especially Infectious.
The disinfectlon OF the sick room
should be thorough The walls should
be dry-rubbed, and the clothes used
burned without shaking, the ceilirg
should be scraped and lime>washed.
The floor and woodwork should be
washed With soap and water. The
clothing or bedding used BY the
patient or nurse should be purified by
boiling for at least one hour, and should
always be cleaned by themselves, and
under no circumstances should they
be sent to a laundry. In case of death
the body should be placed as early
as practicable IN the coffin with disin-
fectants, and the coffin tightly closed.
Children certainly. and in most
cases adults. sheuld not attend fun.
eral from house IN which a death
from diptheria or scarlet fever has
occurred. but with suitable Preoau-
lions it is not necessary that the burial
should be strictly private. provided
that the corpse be not in any way ex-
posed.
Because children are especially liza
bic to take and spread these diseases,
anQ because schools afford a free OPP
portunit, for this, every child from
any family in which case Of either
of these diseases has occurred should
be excluded from school, and be re-
admitted not sooner than one month
from the beginning Of the disease, ex-
cept upon the certificate of some COM
petent physician that it will be safe.
All the above precautions concern
the dangers Of contagion But the
continued prevalence of these diseases
in any community is probable evils
dence of unsanitary surroundings and
of sources of sickness. partially or
wholly preveDtable.
Therefore look well to the sur
roundings Abolish 9Th, remove
dampness and all sources of foul air.
especially from living and sleeping
rooms. Dlslntect thoroughly all
suspected places in yards and ncglec-
ted corners.