Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-12
THE DEADLY DIPHTHgRIA.
IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS PROM THE
STATE BOARD OF 6EALTH.
It is q PrevsntabIe Disease Precautions
TO be observed-sanitary Reg
ulations Urged.

It is q Prevsntable Disease-P Precautions
TO be observed-sanitary Reg
ulations Urged
The State Board of Health has jlst Issued
the following circular in relation to the cause
ard prevention of diphtheris, which is now
quite prevalent in many parts of the State,
and copy Of which circular hiss been re-
ceiyed from Dr. f. w. Hatch, Secretary of
the Board:
There is 10 fact in medicine now more gen.
orally recognized BY sanitarians than that of
the contagious and infectious nature Of diph-
liberia However much observers may differ
as to the local or constitutional origin Of the
disease, the fact OF its communicabiiity from
the sick to the well, Is almost universally ad-
mitted By authorities. Yet, in regard Of
other points in its history-Rhether neces-
ssrily dependent OF not upon specific germ
whether generated By unhealthy and unclean
conditions, by sewer gas, by emauAtioDs from
priyies cesspools and other deposits of filth
undergoing opiniops are nos SO
fully sccordant. There is an admitted OBJ
security to the tIus relation of Gonna of these
circumstances to the disease.
All are agreed however. that diphtheria,
| like other zymOtic diseases, il not the neces-
sary lot Of humanity; that it is preuentable !;
that its ravages are due, in very large meas.
ure, to neglect; to the violation in one way
or another, Of sanitary laws, and that,
though it may not be generated in filth, it
finds there soil favorable TO its develop.
ment; that it grows and fiourishes there, and
/ that the human system is rendered by it
q
every kind. A susceptibility to disease and
to the contagious principle by which it is
propsgated, is thus induced, and hence the
| liability of its dissemination among the mem
| b5rs Of family, or others mere remotely or
| indirectly exposed, is greatly increased. 1t
is better, therefore, to avoid whatever may
tend TO depFess the energies and lower the
vital resistance to disease. This, it is certain,
! filth, une.eanliness IL and around the dwell
ing, does:
Though there Is much in common among
the contagious diseases as to the method Of
their propagation by contagion, there are
differences peculiar to each which it is i'm
! portsnt to bear i'll mind.
In smallpox the special seat Of activity Of
| the contagium-its g breeding. places, to use
! q common TERMS il the skinIand its erup-
tiol and the contents of the vesicles, and in
ths secretious from the mouth and throat :;
in scarlet fever, in the skin, even to the ter
miuation OF the desquam stive or peeliug pro-
cess, and IN the secreti9Ds; il measles, in the
skin sod the discharges from the mouth, nose
and ar passages, and probably in the tears /;
! in diphJhetia. in the throat, nose or othe.
seat Of the emulation or membranous deposit.
! These msy be considered the special seats
or vehicles Of contsgion, while in all theae
diseases, with varying degrees Of certainty,
con munication may be established through
| the breath, the perspirstion, the discharges
| from the mouth aBd throat by articles of
clothing or other substances with which the
various secrsticns and exhslatioas of the
body may, either through the atmosphere or
more directly, have come in contact There
is also reason TO believe that the contagium
Of diph.heria is conveyed by the excavations
| from the bowels OF thoss sick with the dis
ease, and by water or milk contaminated
Herewith. The disease seems also to be CO.
pable Of being conveyed by means OF the do
nestle animals, as dogs and cats, which have
| frequehted the apartments of the sick.
From a consideration Of these general acts
| pertaining to the causa.icn OF diohtheria may
| be deduced rules for its hygieaic management
and its prevention.
ITS HYGIESIC MANAGEMENT.
Ths disease having been introduced into
family, the fact of its contsgiousness should
be promptly recognized and suitable precau.
tons taken:
(a) By strict isolation of the sick. Shut off
ell communication with the house, especially
by children, and admit to the apartment ONLY
those absolutely required as nurses. Though
children are very much mora liable to the
disease than adults and commonly have it in
more severe form, the latter do have II, and,
besides, by visiting the sick, expose them
selves to the risk OF conveying the contsgion
to Others. Visits Of sympathy, therefore,
however benevolent and commendable their
motives. should be avoided.
(J) Other members of the family-children
under fifteen years of age more urgently.
for reasons just stated-should be removed, if
possible, to part of the house having no di-
rect communication with the apartment occu.
pied By the sick person. II the latter is in
the upper stories of the house. probably the
rooms on the lower flo ;rs may be safely used.
(c) The room occupied by the sick should
be large, exposed, where practicable, to the
sunlight, aud capable of being well venti.
lated. l. should be remembered in this con-
nsction thst by good ventilation is understood
an abundance Of fresh cir without draught
All useless furniture-curtsins, carpets and
the liks-should be removed A disipfectsnt
solution should be kept in the room in an ul-
covered vessel, il which infected clothing
suitable for washing, soiled shirts, pillow.
cases, blankets, etc, should be soaked before
removal from the apartment. They should
then be boiled. The same disinfectant solu-
ton, being stainless, may be sprinkled over
the bedding and carpets, when the latter have
not been removed, or it may be occasionally
diffusad through the room by an ordinary
spray instrument, thus reaching and destroy.
ing infectious particles in the atmosphere.
A solution recommended for the above
ms ha mn hx-I t,-sr,r
eight ounces of sulphate of zinc white vitrol)
and four ounces Of common salt in a gallon
of water. It is better than carbolic acid,
and has the additional advantage of being
odorless. For convenience the ingredients
may be mixed by using four tablespooufuls of
the zinc, two of salt, and one gallon of water.
(dl All discharge from the bowels and kid
neys of the patient should be Immediately
disinfected by pouring over them, literally,
the disinfectsnt just mentioned, or by solu.
ton of sulphate of iron (copperas, or green
vitrioi) made b. dissolving one and one.half
pounds of the salt in q gallon Of water. They
should then be removed, and, preferably,
buried.
The secretions OF the nose and throat should
be received upon rags, and these burned.
ie) The attendants upon the sick should not
communicate nor associate with other men,
bers OF the family, or with the public, with.
OUT uIss having uIS6 CHANGED Suelr CiOLneS
and washed and disinfected themselves. The
zinc solution may be advantsgeously used for
this purpose or thy mol IA substance obtained
from the common thyme and some other
plautsl, prepared by dissoiving one-half ounce
-four teaspoonfuis approximately of tbymol
IN two ounces Of alcohol, and adGiug table
spoonful of this to one-hslf gallon of water.
It is believed to be valuable oisinfectant,
equal to and less Gisagreeable than carbohc
acid This solution may also be used IS
spray about the room.
% Death occurring, the body should be
thoroughly washed with the zinc solution,
aud then wrapped in sheet vet by soaking
10 the same. 1t should then be plsced in
tight ccifiu. The funeral should be private.
The body clothes worn by the deceased
should be burned, or efeosuaily treated with
the zinc solution as above advised.
COL In case Of recovery OF the patient, he
should still be kept apart from others
especially children-untii al his clothing a.
been completely disinfec;ei with the boiling
zirc solution He shauld ba rrovidei wish