The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-08-12


ISSUED BY THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
Diptheris is oDtagious and infectious
disease, attacking persons OF all ages, but
affecting children much more fr, quently
than 1t does adults. 1t may be communi.
Gated from the sick to the well by means
OF spoons, cups, or other articles which
pass from mouth to mouth, or through the
medium of the air, or it may be spread by
meaps of infected clothing.
So generally Is dipthera regarded as due
to unsanitary conditions, that by common
consent it is classed among the "fIlth dis
c. ses," and we fnd 1t arising, apparently
independently of sources of Infection, spon-
taoeously as 1t would seem, we may be
pretty sure that something is wrong in the
health condition Of the home where 1t Is
found.
The unsanitary conditions which seem
to give rise to diptheria may be In the d.
rection of the food or water supply; the
well may be too near the privy or cess
pool, or sink drain, or barDyard, and be
polluted by soakage through the filthy
soil or the something wrong may be 10 the
direction of the air supply; the sleeping
rooms and living rooms are perhaps not
ventilated and the air Is rebreathed aud re-
poisoned, or q wet and foul cellar Is under
the house, or sewer gas goes into the
room from d. fective water-closets OIL other
fixtures, or from sink drains, or privies, or
cess pools.
When once diptheria has arisen, the law
of simple contagion carries 1t to the rich
and to the poor, to the clearly and the un-
Clearly, but not to all alike. Filth invites
disease and gives its germs the most con-
genial soil In which to develop pestilence;
but cleanliness offers only barren ground
for their development.
Diptheria is a prepentable disease. Prop
er preventative measures are almost inva-
riably followed by the Limitation of the dis
ease to the first case or cases. When dip
iberia gets away from the primary cases
and makes its escape upon the community,
somebody is to blame.
PREVENTION.
Keep away flom the sources OF the con-
tagion. Do Dot 60 where the disease Is,
If you can help it; and, above all, do not
let your children 90 where 1t Is. Permit
no one to come to your house who has
been where 1t is.
From the dwelling and its vicinity ban.
ish all sources of filth, whether OF the
ground, of the water or OF the air. The
ground under and around the house, il not
not naturally dry, should be thoroughly
and deeply drained.
air, therefore do not shut up your house
tightly, thinking thereby to shut out the
disease. By so doing you shut In the pol
son of rebreathed air, which paves the way
and makes it easy for the poison OF diphthe.
ria to claim your children. Let the sun.
shine in by day aud the pure air both by
day and night. When diphtheria is preva-
lent, avoid all crowded gatherings; espec
tally keep children from such places.
What is apparently only common sore
throat In adults will sometimes give rise to
an outbreak OF diphtheria In children;
therefore, In all cases Of sore throat, pru-
dence would dictate caution in using dish
es which others are to use A kiss to child
VI der these circumstances may be the un-
conscious signature of the little ones death
warrant.
When diphtheria is rife, keep from the
children gum, jewsharps, harmonious and
other things which go from mouth to
mouth.
Be sure that the drinking water and the
milk are pure.
RESTRICTION.
AS soon as 1t Is found that person has
diphtheria he should Immediately be sepa-
rated from the rest Of the family and put
into sunny and well ventilated room, pre-
erably on she upper floor, and as discon-
nected as possible from other rooms, es-
pecially the living and sleeping rooms Of
chi dren.
Before moving the patient into the room,
all needless articles, such as carpets, con-
tents OF wardrobes ETC.. which would catch
the infection, should be removed
No other person beside the necessary at
PENDANTS and the physician should be per
mitted into the room, and they should take
special precautions not to carry the infec.
mi mil h
of the family should be as restricted as pos
sible.
The local board Of health, or health off,
Ger, should Immediately be notified aud
should cooperate with the physician to
keep the disease from spreading. Child
rem and parents from other houses should
be warned and, If they needlessly and OBJ
persist in coming, they should be
d iven away.
Neither the nurse nor any other person
should eat or drink anything In the sick
room or anything which has been there
Food which the patient has left should be
burned.
Cats and dogs should be kept from the
sick chamber, or better, out of the house,
for their fur can easily carry the infection.
These animals, as well as some Others,
sometimes have diphtheria, and communi-
cate 1t to children.
The dishes which the patient uses sb ould
not be used or washed with other Dishes
They should be washed by themselves In
boiling hot water.
The utmost care must be taken that the
discharges from the mouth, throat and
nose do not soil the room or its furnish
Ings. These discharges should be received
On pieces of cloth and then burned. II this
cannot be done they should be thoroughly
inf tod ,tt diaip NJ n
DR. No. 2
The discharges from the kidneys and
bowels should be literally treated with dis
nfectant No. 5, No. 6, or No. 2, aud not
poured into the privy vault, but buried, II
possible, 200 feet or more from dwelling
houses and water supply.
The bed and the body clothing should
rot be mixed with the family wash, but
should be put into boiling dlsinfectant So
ution No. 4, or No. 8.
No person from house where there Is
liphtheria should 60 into public assem-.
,lies, sucn as schools, churches, or con-
,erts.
Persons who have had diphtheria should
not mingle with the public for some time
after the last trace Of the disease has left |
The throat and nose, and then not until
hey and all their clothing have been thor
3ughly washed and disinfected.
In case Of death the body should be en-.
closed In sheet thoroughly wet In Disin.
Iectant No. or No. 8, and pu. into tight
DIN, which should not afterwarl be open.
ed. The fureral should be strictly private
and in no case should children be permit.
led to be present.
Alter recovery or death, disinfect the
room with Disinfectant No. /.
~ DI6INFECTANTS.
No. Sulphur Fumisation-To use this
snectively, two pounds Of sulphur should
30 burned IN room ten fees square. Nv.
sry opening IN the room, dues, doors, win.
dow, erAcks and crevices, muss b closed.
exeet ~ door b. which ~ disinlactoe .