Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-11-04
The farm aud fiteside.
TYPHOID FEVER.

RULES FOR PREVENTING ITS sPREAD, DRAWN
UP FOR POPULAR USE.
The means By which typhoid fever may be
prevented from spreading are very simple, very
sure, and their cost next to nothing.
They are founded on the discovery that the
poison which this fever spreads is almost en-
tirely contained in the discharge from the
bowels.
These discharges infect l. The air of the
sick room 2. The bed and body linen of the
patient. 3. The privy and cesspool, or the
drains proceeding from them.
From the privy or drain the poison often
soaks into the we'll and infects the drinking
water. This last, when it happens is of all
forms Of fever poisoning the most deadly.
In these various ways the infection proceed
ing from the bowel diseases often spreads the
fever far and wide.
The one great thing to aim at, therefore, is
to disinfect these discharges on their very es-
capefrom the body, and before they are carried
from the sick room.
This may be perfectly done by the use of
disinfectants. One of the best is made of green
copperas This substance, which is used by
all shoemakers, is very cheap and may be had
everywhere. A. pound and half of green
copperas to a gallon of water is the proper
strength. A teacupful of this liquid put into
the nightpan every time before it is used by
the patient renders the bowel discharge per-
fectly harmless. One part of Calvert's liquid
carbolic acid in fifty parts of water is equally
eficacious.
To disinfect the bed and body linen and the
bedding generally, chloride of lime or Nc
Dougall's or Calvert's powder is more conve-
nient. These powders should be sprinkled by
means of common dredger on soiled spots on
the linen, and about the room to purify the
air.
All articles of bed and body linen should be
plunged Immediately into a bucket of water
containing tablespoonful of chloride of lime
or McDougall's or Calvert's powder, and
should be boiled before being washed. A yard
of thin, wide, guttapercha placed beneath the
blanket, under the breech of the patient, by
effectually preventing the discharges from
soaking into the bed, is a great additional
safeguard.
The privy or closet, and all drains commu-
nicating with it, should be flushed twice daily
with the green copperas liquid or with car
bolic acid diluted with water.
In towns and villages where the fever is al
ready prevalent, the last rule should be put in
force for all houses, whether there be fever in
them or not, and for all public drains.
In the event Of death, the body should be
placed as soon as possible in coffin sprinkled
with disinfectants Early burial is on all ac-
counts desirable.
AS the hands of those attending on the sick
often become unavoidably soiled by the dis
charges from the bowels, they should be fire.
quently washed.
The sick room should be kept we'll ventilated
day and night.
The greatest possible care should be taken
with regard to the drinking water. Where
there is the slightest risk of it having become
tainted with fever poison, water should be got
from pure source, or should at least be boiled
before being drunk. Immediately after the
illness is over, whether ending in death or re-
covery, the dresses worn by the nurses should
be washed or destroyed, and the bed and room
occupied by the sick should be thoroughly dis
infected.
These are golden rules. Where they are
neglected the fever may become a deadly
scourge; where they are strictly carried out it
never spreads beyond the person first attacked.