The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-03-13
To Prevent Scarlet Fever, Diphthsria and
Typhoid Peyer.


From the "Third Biennial Report Of the
State Board Of Health" we take the fol-
lowing, and ask for it careful perusal
To prevent or restrict these diseases
avoid their special contagium; beware Of
crowded assemblies in III ventilated rooms;
keep the grounds under and around your
house well drained; do not allow any ami
NAL or vegetable matter 10 decompose on
the surface Of the ground near your house;
avoid the neighborhood Of soap. factories,
slaughter-houses, rendering establishments
and other sources Of foul odors; keep your
priyy thoroughly clean, and disinieet It
frequently with strong copperas.wat
keep your house, and especially your sleep
ing rooms well ventilated, your cellar dry
and clear Of all decomposing vegetable or
other substances; do not allow any cesspool
near your house; look to your house drains
with scrupulous care; see that they are well
trapped, kept clean and ventilated into the
open air, so as not to permit the entrance Of
sewer gas into your house; be sure that
your drinking water Is not contaminated
BY surface drainage, nor by leakage from
a drain, sewer, cesspool, or vault.
Every person known TO be sick with
diphtheria or scarlet fever, should be
promptly aud eiiectually isolated from the
public one or two persons only should take
charge Of the patient Keep the room in
which one is sick well ventilated, and
cleared Of all needless clothing, carpets
and other materials likely to harbor the
poison Of the disease. The discharges
from the throat, nose and mouth, are sx-
tremely liable to communicate the disease,
and should be received on soft rags or
pieces Of cloth, which should be immedi.
ately burned, The discharges from the
bowels and kidneys are also dangerous,
especially in typhoid fever, aud should be
received into vessels kept thoroughly dis.
infected with strong solution Of eopperas
aud then buried at least one hundred feet
from any well, spring or other water sup
ply. Soiled bed and body linen should al
once be placed in boiling water. No per
son recovering from diphtheria or scarlel
fever should be permitted to attend school
church, or any public assembly. No chill
dren, and in most cases few adults, SHOULD
attend funeral at house in which ther,
is case Of diphtheria or scarlet fever, o.
in which death from either disease ha
recently occurred. The room in whicl
there has been a case of diptheria or scar
let fever, whether fatal or not, should will
all its contents be thoroughly disinfecte,
by exposure for several hours to stronl
fumes Of burning sulphur, and then 70
several days to currents Of fresh air. Al
ter death or recovery, the clothing, bed
ding, carpets, mats and other cloths, whie
have been exposed to the coutagium Of th
disease, should be either burned, expose
to superheated steam, or be thorough
boiled.
To prevent scarlet fever give belladonn
IN small doses-say three grains Of the ca
tract Of belladonna TO two tablespoonful
Of water, and give Of this, daily, twice q
many drops as there are years in the %
tents age. Ia treating the disease, kee
the sick chamber at an even temperatur,
not exceeding Coz. Do not allow the pt
tent to be covered with heavy bsdclothe
freshen the air in the room frequentl,
and have the patient carefully sponged {
bathed once or twice daily 10 tepid waite
The best drink is pure cold water or leu
onade. As nourishment first, give chicl
en- broth, bread and stawed fruit; late
give mutton or beef broth, milk, &c.
there be constipation give an enema
tepid water, avoiding active purges.