New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-02-09
DIPHTHERIA.

In order to impress upon the public
the necessity of greater care to prevent
the spread Of diphtheria, and also to
mike bette, known some of the we'll.
attested facts in regard to this dread
disease, the Boston Board Of Health
have issued the following circular:
Diphtheria is contagious and infecti-
Gus and may be easily communicated,
either directly or indirectly, from per.
son to person. 1t may be conveyed d.
rectly in kissing, coughing, splitting.
sneezing: or Indirectly 10y infected ar
ticles used, as towels, napkins, hand
kerchiefs, etc. The poison clings with
great tenacity to rooms, houses, articles
of furniture and clothing, and may &C.
casion the disease, even after the lapse
of months. Diphtheria attacks all
classes at all ages and all seasons of the
year. BY preference it attacks child.
rem and those who are debilitated from
exposure to filth, dampness or foul air
from whatever source.
When case of diphtherja occurs in
any family, the sick person should be
placed in a room apart from the other
inmates of the house. and should be-
nursed, as far as possible by one person
only. The sick chamber should he we'll
warmed, exposed to sunlight, and well
aired; it's furniture should be such as
will permit of cleansing, without in.
jury, and all extra articles, such as
window and ia lie drapery, wooden car
pets, upholstered furniture, and all
hangings, should be removed from the
room during the sickness. The physi-
clans and nurse, as a rule, should be
the only persons admitted to the room.
Visitors to the infected house should
be warned of the presence of danger.
Gus disease therein, and children espec-
tally should not be admitted. All
clothing removed from the patient or
the bed should be at once placed in
boiling water or in tub of disinfect-
ing fluid e OF sulphate zinc, l OF carbo-
lie acid and gallons Of 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 placed in boiling water
for boiling, It is better not to use
handkerchiefs for cleansing the most
rils and mouth of the patient, but rath.
er soft rags, which should be immedi-
ately thereafter burned. All vessels
for receiving the discharge of the pa
tent should constantly contain some
disinfecting fluid. Water.closets and
privies in the house should be disinfect-
ed daily with solution of c0pperaS,
two pounds to gallon of water.
Every kind and source of filth in and
around the house should be thoroughly
removed, and disinfectants freely used.
Cleanliness tends both to prevent and
mitigate the disease. Drains should
be put in perfect order and ventilated
by four inch straight pipe extending
above the highest point of the roof of
the house, in every instance terminal
ing at distance from any chimney or
| other ventilatOr. Children in the fami-
ly should not attend school or mingle
with other children until the patient
has wholly recovered, and all infected
articles have been disinfected.
On the recovery or death of the pa.
,ient the most thorough disinfection
should follow. The room and all ar
ticles in it should be at once subjected
to the fumes If burning sulphur, as fol-
lows: Close the room tightly; and burn
two and one-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 sunlight
for week. Anything that can be
boiled without injury may be so treat.
ed. The walls and ceilings 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 disinfectants, and the cot.
fin tightly and finally closed. No pub.
lie funeral should ever take place al
the house where the patient died MOI
elsewhere, unless the coffin remains
Theoretically sealed.