The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-04-23
DIPHTHERIA.
Precautions Necessary to Prevent
the Spread Of the ConJaglon.
BOARD OF HEALTH,

I :
The following circular is issued for
the nurpose of more widely extending
the knowledge of few well attested
facts concerning dipbtheria, and re-
minding all persons that greater care
should be exercised to prevent the
spread OF the much dreaded disease.
Diphtheria is contagious and infec.
tious and may DO easily communi-
Gated, either directly or Indirectly.
from person % person,
1t may be conveyed directly in the
act of kissing. coughing, splitting,
sneezing; or indirectly by infected
articles, such as towels, napkins,
handkerchieis. etc.
Tho poison e,ing5 with great ten
aciiy to rooms, houses, articles OF
furniture and clothing. and may
occasion the disease, even after the
lapse of months.
Diphtheria attacks all classes, at
all ages, and at all seasons of the
year. By preference it attacks chil
dren and those who are debilitsted
from exposure to filth, dampuess, or
foul air from whatever source.
When a case of diphtheria occurs
in family, the sick persons should |
be placed in a room apart from the |
other inmates of the house, and |
should be nursed, as far as possible,
By one peT,On only.
The sick chamber shOUld be well
warmed, exposed to sunlight, and
we'll aired; It's furniture shonld be
such as will permit of cleaning with.
out injury, and all extra articles,
such as window and table drspery,
wooden carpets, upholstered furni-
ture, and all hangings should be re-
moved from the room during the
sickness.
The physician and nurse, as a rule,
should be the only persons admitted
TO the room.
Visitors 20 the infected house
should be warned Of the presence of
q dangerous disease therein, and
children especially should not be ad.
miited.
Ali clothing removed from the pa
tent or the bed should be at once
placed in boiling water or in tub of
disinieciing fluid, Is OF. sulphate of
zinc, l OF. carbolio acid, and three
gallons water,) by the nurse before
being carried through the house or
handled By any other person. They
may be soaked in this fluid for an
hour and then place in boiling water
for boiling.
It Is better not to use handker-
chiefs for cleansing the nostrils and
mouth Of the patient, but rather soft
rags, which should be Immediately
thereafter burned.
Vessels for receiving the disch srges
Of the patient should constantly cor
tain some ofthe disinfecting fluid.
Water closets and pIivies in the
house should be disinfected daily with
q gallon Of water.
Every kind and gourc5 of filth In
and afnund the house ehould be thor
Oughly removed and disinfectants
freely used. Cleanliness tends both
to prevent and mitigate the disease.
Drains should be put in perfect
order and ventilated by a finch
straight pipe extended above the high
est point of the roof Of the house in
every instance, terminating at dis
tance from chimney or other ven
tilator.
Children in the family should not
attend school or mingle' with other
children until the patient has wholly
recovered, and ell infected articles
have been disinfected.
On the recovery or death Of the
patient the most thorough disinfec-
ton should follow. The room and
all articles in it should be subjected
to the fumes of burning sulphur, as
follows: Close the room tightly and
burn two and half pounds Of sulphur
to each thousand cubic feet of space.
After four or six hours open the
room and expose it to the air and sun
light for q week.
Anything that can be boiled with
out injury may be SO treated. Tue |
walls and ceiling should be dry |
rubbed or lime washed, and the floors !
washed with soap and water to which |
may be added a little carbolic acid.
When death occurs the body should
be Immediately placed in the coffin,
with Gisinfeclants, and the coffin
tightly and finally closed.
No public funeral should ever take
place at the house where the patient
died, nor elsewhere, unless the coffin
remains hermetically sealed.
By direction of the Board of Health.
G. E. DAVIS, JR., Clerk.