Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-04-16
Continued from last week Transcript,
Diphtheria in Minnesota. q

Diphtheria in Minnesota.
The following IS taken from 9 circular
recently issued by the State Board Of
Health: $50
DILINFECTING PREPARATIONS
HOW TO PREPARE AND USE THEM.
Natural aisi,y ectants -.
Sunlight and fresh air.When it can
be used, dry garden mould j. z very
efficient disinfectant. II ..5
artificial disintf ectants - II
Chlorinated soda: This is hest obs
tanned in the form Of Laba,raq,4e's Solution,
which should be diluted for use with
about ten parts Of water. 81 ...y5ss.. /. ]
A mixture of four ounces of sulphate
Of zinc, and two ounces of common salt,
to q gallon of water, is easily prepared,
and constitutes the chloride Of zisc ISOLATION
recommended by the com mlsslon acting
under the National Board of Health.
The New York Board of Health res
commend the following :-sulphate of
zinc, eight ounces; carbolic acid, one
ounce; water three gallons. This may
be freely used in the sick cham ber, and
may receive the soiled clothing until it
can be further cleansed by boiling. tsss
= Asolution of sulphate of iron, for dis
injecting privy-vaults, etc., may be made
by dissolving two pounds OF the sulphate
(copperas) in one gallon of hot water.
From a pint to quart of this solution,
used twice day, will suffice to keep
down foul odors: a much larger guam tity
may be needed at first. III {. .,:.::,---. 4
To '1isinfect an ordinary room with
chlorine gas:-Having closed all the
openings of the room, place in it an open
-earthen dish containing four ounces of
peroxide Of manganese. Pour on this
one pound of strong nuriatlc acid, taking
care not to breathe the fumes. Leave
the room and close the door.
To generate sulphurous acid gas -
Put live Goals on the top Of ashes in an
iron pan, and sprinkle not less than one
pound of sulphur on the Goals, and use as
for chlorine. In both cases the rooms
should be thoroughly aired before being
entered after the dlsinfection.
SPECIAL PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
l. Avoid houses where the disease has
appeared until they have been thoroughly
dislnfected.
2. Secure dryness of the grounds un-
der and around the dwelling by COM
plete drainage, and allow no pollution of
the same by any torn of filth.
8. Secure dryness and good ventila.
ton of every part Of the dwelling.
4. See that no cess pool remains nea,
the house, and that the privy vault is in
a proper condition and supplied with dry
earth or disinfectants,
5. Let the sun and air have free &C.
cess to the house and especially to sleep
ing rooms.
6. Do not let fair external appear.
ances cover hidden sources of pollution
7. Secure proper and well>prepared
food and comfortable clothing.
N. B-We apply the term, Diphthe''ia
only to the specific disease, the charac
teristics of which are now we'll under
stood by intelligent physicians and 9th.
ers, and not to the nonspecitic catarrhal
and lndammatory affections of the throat
which The ignorant often miscall diph>
liberia. In all cases of dou b., the opin'
ion of the family physician should be
immediately sought.
The Massachusetts State Board Of
Health Report for 1878, in circular
letter similar to this, has the following,
which we would heartily endorse:
"Although it is not at present possible
to remove all sources of epidemic dis
ease, yet the frequent visitation of such
disease, and especially its continued prev,
alence, may be taken as sufficient evil
dence of insanltary surroundings, and OF
sources of sickness to a certain extent
preventable.
cit should be distinctly understood
that 10 amount Of artificial disinfection
can ever take the place of pure air, good
water and proper drainage, which cans
not be gained without prompt and eff
cient removal of all filth, whether from
public buildings, crowded tencments, or
private residences. In the opinion of the
Board this is likely to be done properly
only through independent. local Boards
of Health, the appointment of which in
all cases we most respectfully but ear
nestly urge upon the citizens of the
State"
The substance of many of the above
practical suggestions has been. published
in Reports and Circulars issued by the
State Boards of Health of Massachusetts,
Michigan, Wisconsin and North Caro-
lima.