Frostburg mining journal., 1881-11-26
DIPTHERIA.

The Massachusetts, State board Of
Health has issued the following:
In view of the fact that diptheriA,
although now less prevalent than 10
the colder months, may be expected
to visit portion CT our State during
the autumn and winter, it seems i'm
portant that more thorough attempts
to control the disease should he made
by the local authorities.
In the frat place, as di liberia is a
contagious disease, and under certain
circumstances not entirely known,
very highly SO, it is important that
all practicable meana should be taken
to separate the sick from the we'll.
As it is also infectious, wooden clothes,
carpets, curtains hangings, etc., should
be avoidsd in q sick room, and only,
such materials uged ss can be readily
washed.
All clothes, when removed from
the patient, should be at once placed
In hot water. Pocket handksrchi els
should be laid aside, and in their
st~ad soft piecea Of linen or of cotton
cloth should be used, and at once
burned.
Disinfsctants should always be
placed in the vessels containing the
expectotation, anil may be used some-
what freely in the siok-room; those
being especially useful which sdcstroy
bad odors without ssusing others
(nitratc cf lead, chloride Of zinc, etc) .
In schools there should he sspe-
cial supervision a.. the disease Ia often
SO mid in It's oasly stages an not to
attract common attention; and no
child should be allowed to att end
school from an infected house, until
allowed to DO 50 by a competent t
Psysiciaa.
Ia the case of young children, all
reasonable care should be taken to
prevent undue exposure to the cold.
Pure water for drinking should es
used, avoiding communicating sources
of supply; ventilation should be in
sisted on, and local drainage nuot
be- carefully attended to. l. country
| towns, priyies and csssPools should
be frequently emptie4 and diainfect.
ed; alop.water sheald not be sllow I'd
to soak into tho surface Of the earth
near The dwelling houses, and the
cellars should be kept dry aud sweet.
In cities. especially in tidal dla-
tricts, basins, baths, ETC., as now con-
neotod with drains. should never
communicate directly with sleeping
ro ms.
In all eases Of diptherla, fully az
great care phould be taken in disin-
fectiug the siek,Eoom, altar ues, as in
scarlet fever.
After death from diptheria. the
clothing disused should be burned or
sxrosed to nearly or quite heat OIL
boiling water; the body should ee
placed as early aa practicable in the
coffin, with disinfectants, and the
c. fin should be tx htly ciosed.
Children, at least, and better sdults
also in most cases, should not attend
: funeral fron house 10 which a
death from diptherla has occurred
But with suitable ecautions it is
not necessary that the funeral should
be private, provided the corpse be
not il any way exposed.
Although it is not al present posai-
ble 10 remove at oncs all sources Of
e, idsmlc disease, yet the frequent
visitation ufs1ch dissnsSs, and especial
ly its continued prevalence, may be
taken ss sutf cient evidence Of insani-
| tHry surroundings, ana OF sources OIL
sickness % : certain extent preyenta-
ble.
Il should be is'inctly understood
that no amount of artificial "disinfso-
| ton" can ever take the place of pure
air, good water, snd pror O. drainage,
which cannot be gained without
prompt and efficient removal of all
filth, whether from slaughr err houses
etc, public buildings, crow led tene-
me, to, or private rcsldsncss. Ia he
opinion Of the Board, this is likely TO
be done properly only through inde-
pendent local hoards of hsalth, the ar
poiutmsnt Of which in all cases We
most respectfully, but earnestly, urge
upon the citizens oi tho State.