The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-18

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liable to contract the disease from their
necessary exposure to contact with pas
sengers and during the present heavy i'm
migration movement the danger of infec-
ton is greatly increased.
| The cordial cooperation in all measures
looking to the protection of the public
health and consequent avoidance of inter
ruption to travel and traffic, which the
board has, whenever occasion required,
found you ready to accord, prompts the
the belief that you viii adopt this recon-
mendatiou forthwith, and push its efficient
/ enforcement.
Copies of the accompanying circular
| How to prevent the spread of small ox"
will be furnished you for distribution 4
desired
By order of the board.
JOHN III. RAUcH, NJ. D.,
! Secretary.
THE CIRCULAR
contains the subjoined rules relating to the
inception of the disease:
1. On the first report of the existence
of "a case in a region, systematic vaccina-
ton or re-vaccination of every member Of
/ the exposed communities in such region,
| should be at once resorted to.
| 2. Whenever it is know that any per
son is sick with smallpox or varioloid, is
olation of the individual should be prompt
ly and rigiily enforced Every one in the
house should be vaccinated or re vaccinat-
ed, no matter how recently this may have
been done, nor how mild the disease may
appear. In towns or cities where there
are small pox hospitals, it is better that
the patient should be removed to such at
once. Where there is no such provision,
the infected house should be strictly quar-
antined and if necessary, the police au-
thority must BE invoked to secure proper
restrictions. An improvised hospital will
be an absolute necessity if the case occurs
in a crowded family or tenament houses
where proper isolation cannot be secured.
In such case a barn, clubhouse or other
building may be made sufficiently comfort
able for the patient al small expense; or If
the weather be mild enough, a tent may
be used. A flag or placard bearing the
words Small Pox" should be prominently
displayed upon the house, and not remov
ed until permission is given by the health
authorities. Isolation is matter of the
utmost importance.
3. The room selected for the sick
should be large, ventilated and as far from
the living and sleeping rooms of other
members of the family as it is practicable
to have it. All ornaments, carpets, dra-
| perry and articles not absolutely needed
in the room should be removed. A free
circulation of air from without should be
admitted, both by night and day-there is
no better disinfectant than pure air Care
should, of course, be taken TO keep the
| patient out of draughts.
4. An discharges frem the nose and
mouth Of the patient should be received
on Says and Immediately burned. and the
| same precaution should be taken with the
crusts as they fall off. All spoons, dishes,
etc, used or taken from the sick room
should be put in boiling water at once.
Cleanliness in everything must be scrupu-
! lousy enforcec.
| 5. Not more than two persons-one of
them a skillful professional nurse, if pos
sible- should be employed in the sick
room, and their intercourse with other
| members of the family and with the pub
| lie must be as much restricted as possible
In the event that it becomes necessary for
an attendant to go out of the house,
complete change of clothing should be
made, using such as has not been exposed
to infection; the hands, face and hair
should be washed in water to each half
gallon of which has been added a table
spoonful Of carbolic acid, or half a gill of
ten per cent solution, of permanganate of
potassium Following this, free exposure
to the open air should be secured
before approaching any one
6. Physicians and other necessary visi-
tors, before entering the sick room should
put on an outward garment, closely but
toned up, and a handkerchief or wrap
about the throat or neck. Such outer gar
ment may be a linen buster or rubber over
coat, and this, together with the neck wrap
should be taken off in the open air immed- |
lately after leaving the sick room, and
oft her no in fha 1;cfp A..
hereinafter described or hung up out Of |
doors until the next visit Safety consists
in exposing to the open air every article of |
clothing that has been in any way subject |
to the contagion. Whenever practicable, |
the precautions above described (rule 50 |
for an attendant leaving the sick room
should be observed by the physician or
visitor. Doctors and clergymen may CON
vey contagion as readily as the laity under
similar conditions. They should, there
fore, take the same precautions.
Z. No inmate of the house, during the
continuance of the disease, should venture
into any public conveyance or assemblage,
or crowded building. such as church or
school: nor after its termination, until per
mission is given by the attending physician
Letters should not be sent from the patient
and all mail matter from the house should
first be subjected to dry heat of 250-26O
deg F. Domestic animals, dogs, cats, ETC.,
should not be allowed to enter the room of Z
the patient, or better still, should be exclu- I
ded from the house.
There are five more rules that relate to
what shall be done following the recovery
Of death of the patient which in all cases
will be given by the attending physician !
The eighth rule directs that after recov- {
cry the patient should be bathed in weak !,
iisinfection and shall be kept in the house !.
1t least two weeks after the crusts have
disappeared.
The ninth rule directs that in the event t
If death, the clothing in which the body )
8 attired should be sprinkled with strong :
'arbolic acid and that no public funeral
,e allowed IL
The other rules pertain to the disinfect-
ng of rooms after recovery or death.