The Southern herald., 1881-02-19
Restriction and Prevention of
Scarlet Fever.

OF Health: Scarlet fever Is now believed to
be one Of the most contagious diseases One
attack usually prevents subsequent attacks.
The greatest number Of deaths from this
disease are Of children under ten years Of
age. Adult persons do sometimes have the
disease. Scarlet fever is believed to arise
from a special eoutagion or poison which may
BE- conveyed to persons previously unaffected
by personal contact, by infected clothing or
paper rags, or by any Of the discharges from
the tOdy Of a person affected with the disease.
The discharges from the throat. nose and
mouth are considered extremely dangerous,
but those frOm the skin, eyes ears. kidneys
aud bowels, are also dangerous, and remain
SO for considerable time.
Filth, all forms Of unclsanliness. aud neg
leet of ventilation increase the danger of
spreading the disease.
Communication 1t is believed that the
disease may be communicated by person
recovering thprrfrom so long as the usual
subsequent sealing or peeiug Of the skin
continues, which sometimes is not completed
before the lapse of seventy or eighty days,
although usually completed sooner.
The interval Of time which may elapsp
after exposure to the contagion of scarlet
fever, aud during which a susceptible person
so exposed may expect to be taken sick with
tue disease varies from one to fourteen days
Separation of the sick from the wsll,-
Whenever child has sore throat and fever.
aud especially when this is accompanied by a
rash on the body, the child should bs imme-
diaiely isolated as completely as possible
from other members of the household, and
from other persons, until u physician has seen
it aud determined whether it has scarlet fever
All persons known to be sick with this dis
ease should be promptly aud thoroughly 1907
lated from the public.
The room into which one sick with hi:
disease is placed shoald previously be cleared
of all needless clothing, carpets, drapery and
other materials likely to harbOr the poison O
the disease, except such articles as are essen
tia to the welLbciug OF the patient. Th,
y sick room may have no carpet, or only piece
which can afterwards be destroyed Pro
vision should be made for the introduction O
liberal supply of fresh air aud the continue
change Of the air of the room without ssns
bIe currents or drafts
Pocket handkerchief that need to b
saved should not be used by the patient
. small pieces of rag should be substituted
therefor, aud after being once used should b
Immediately burned.
Soied bed and body linen should BE- place
in vessels of water containing chlornate
Soda chlorinated lime, or other dsiniectau
before removal from the sick room.
For ibis purpose chlorinated soda is th
neatest aud most convenient, because it ca
% be used with soap, but it is apt to lose il
K disiufectng properties by age Chiorinate
lime, if used too freely, may destroy article
# clothing with which it comes 10 conlac
but il properly used it is the safest as a dii
uleclant.
The discharges from the patient should a
be- received into vessels containing cboril
ated lime COMMONLY called "chloride
lIme") sui phate of irou or some other know
disinfeclanl,# and the same buried at ono
not by any means be thrown into a runnii
stream, nor into a cesspool, or water clos,
- "a except after being Thoroughly disiufected
he All vessels should be kept scrupalously cer
aud disiufrcted,
Perfect cleanliness Of nurses and atteD
- ants should be eujoined aud secured.
the hands Of nurses Of necessity become Fl
quently contaminated by the poison of t
disease, good supply of towels and t,
basns-nne containing solution Of chlornat
soda (Laharacque's soution), chorinate lii
or othrr disiufpcting solution. and anotl
for plain soap and water, should be alwa
on hand and freely used.
Persons who ale attending upon ebidr
or other persons suffering from scarlet few
aud also members Of ihs patients fam
should not mingle with other people nor p
nit the entrance of children into their bou
Funerals of those dying from scarlet fe'
should be strictly private aud the corpse
exposed to view. To avoid mistakes.
ices Of such deaths in the papers shot
state that the deceased died of scarlet few
All persons recovering from scarlet ie
should be- considered dangerous, and the
fore should not attend school, church, or a
public assembly, or use any public conv,
ance' so long as any scaling or peellpg Of
skin, soreness of the eyes or air passages