Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-10-19
RESTRICTION II AND PREVENTION
s OF DlPHTlIERHA.
Cautions and Suggestions by the Mich.
igan State Board of Health.

Because diphtheria has been and may
be expected 10 be widely prevalent. aud
is a Formidable and fatal disease, and be-
cause it is a disease believed to be large
Iy preventabe. the State Board of Health
desires to disseminate as widely as posi-
bic among the people of this state, the
knowledge of certain facts aud princi-
pies which seem to be we'll established.
aslo the nature and causes of the disease,
and the l,ationl means for its restriction
and D evention.
The more this contagium is allowed TO
accumulate In the room where the
patient lies, the more powerful does it
oseolne' f'DI iC.l a3l
RESTRICTION OF DIPTHERIA.
Dip heria is a Contagious disease, and
hence the strict observance of file follow
ing precautions is of very great import
ance. .i' " -i-
1. Every person known TO be sick with
thi, disease should be promptly and eff
fectually Isolated from the public:-one
or two prrsOus only should take the ell
tire charge of the patients and they
should be restr cted in their intercourse
with other people. So. ..... ~ i
2. The room into which one sick with
diphtheria is placed should previously be
cleared ofall needless clothing. carpets,
drapery. and other materials likely to
harbOr The poison of the disease. This
room should constantly receive fresh
supply OF air, without currents or drafts
upon The patient. 1T will be well
also TO have the sun shine directly into
the room.
g. In order that the guardians of. the
public health may have early warnin z,
it is evident ihat every case OF dipiheria
should be promptly reported to the To-
cal board Of health.
4. Tile duties of the householders.
physicians, aud boards of health. 'as spec
iiied in sections 1874, 1875, 1872, and 1695
of the complied laws of Michigan, 1871,
should be rigidly enforced.
B. The disc.:rgrs from the throat, nose
and mouth are extremely liable to COM
muncaIc the disease, and should be re-
cclvcd Oh soft rags or pieces of cloth
which should Imnetlial ely be burned.
g. The discharge from the kidneys and
bo wells are also cX remedy danger ous,and
should be passed OH old cloths and burn
ed, or INTO vessels kept disinfccted'by nj
!trate of lead, chloride of zinc, or sulphate
\Npi'i'Ni"EJfH Hffo thSii W ~eNf Wv ~
last 100 feet from any we'll.
z. Nurses and attendants should be re-
opl:re TO keep themselves aud their pa
=ti.,,ts as clean AS passibe;-their own
han'is should frequently De washed and
di>in(ccted by chlorinAted soda.
- s. Soilcd bed and body linen should at
once ,oe placed in boiling water or in
water containing chlornated soda, chlor-
mated lime, or solution OF chloride of
zinc.
9 All persons recovering from dipfl-
theril should be considered dangerous,
aad therefore no such person should be al
lowed to associate with others or to at
tend school, church or any public assem-
bly,. until in the Judgment of c1reful
anu intelligent physician he cen do so
without cndangeriug others.
10. The body of aperSon who has died
with diphths ria, should as early as prac-
ticable be placed in a cuffin, with disin-
tectants, and the coffin then should be
tightly closed. Afterwards the body
should not be exposed to view except
through glass.
IL. No public funeral should be held
at hou-e in which there is case of
diphtheria,nor in which death from dip
theria has recently occurred. No child
rem at least, and in most cases it would
be better that no adults, should attend
such funeral.
10. The room in which there has been
n case of diptheria, whether fatal or not,
should, with all its contents, be thor
Oughly disintccted by exposure for sever
al hours to strong fumes of chlorine gas
or of burning sulphur, and then, il pos l.
BILE, it should tor several days, be exposed
10 currents of fresh air.
To generate sulphuric acid gas, put
live Goals OH top of ashes in a metallic
pan. and place on the Goals sulphur III
powder or fragments.
13. Alter death or recovery from
diphthera, the clothing, bcdding. cifr-
pets. IN ats and other cloths which have
been exposed To the contagnm of the
disease SHOULD. either be burned or eX-
posed TO sllperhelted steam. TO IA degree
OF dry Leat equal to 240 F., or be thor
oughly boiled.
The foregoing meth DDS of disinfection
are applicable in ali contagious diseas-s.
PREyENTIvE MEASURES. aH
a. Avoid the special conlagium OF the
disease.
l5, Beware OF crowded assemblies i'm
i'll ventilated rooms.
16. The grounds in and around the
house should be well drained,
IL. No vegetable or animal matter
should be allowed 10 decompose on the
surface of the ground near the house.
Is. Ifany sOap-faclory, ,slaught house
rendering establishment, or other source
of foul OdOrs, coptalninate the air which
you ard your children daily breathe
local board Of health or health officer 10
have such nuisance abated.
10. Your own privy, especially should
at ali times be thoroughly disinfectt d.
by dry earth, coal sshes, or copperas
water; ana the recepticlc should be SC
constructed as to be water tight and to
be tightly covered when removed 10 be
empIied, as it should be often enough to
prevent lne air about it from becoming
offensive. and ia cold weather so tar as
possible.
20. Your whole house aud especially
its sleeping rooms should be well ventil
ated.
ventilai ed, it should frequently be white
washed and kept clear of decomposiny :
vegetable or other substances.
~. mo cesspOoi StOuiu De alloWeu Heir
the house. If there be one, it should
be removed or be thoroughly and fire.
qucnIly disinfected with sulphaie OF iron
lccpperas).
3D. Your house drains should be look
ed TO with serupulous Care, to see that
they are we'll trapped, kept clear and
well ventilated into the open air.
"a. Your house should not have unin-
1 Il
sure that the waste pipes do not permit
the entrance OF sewer gas into the house,
but that they enter the sewer through
an open air space, or at least through a
space freely ventilated to the open air.