San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-05-14
The destruction Of Disease terms.
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Rstyhood Magazine,

Rsbyhooa Magazine,
Disease germs gain entrance 70
tho body mainly by way OF tho respi'
rntory passages, or in fluids and solids
inpested as food. We must SEQ TO 1t,
therefore, that tho babies do not
breathe a contaminated atmosphere,
and that no deadly disease germs are
lurking in tho delicious milk or other
food which loving hands convey to
their eager lips, A pure atmosphere
Is 10 be maintained in the house, not
bv use OF disinfectants, but by guard
ing all avenues by which foul mir is
likely 10 be introduced from without
md by sending diseased germs mp the
chimney or out of tho window whom
the fortress has been invaded md one
of tho little ones has fallen i'll with nm
infectious disease. In short, VIC must
depend upon good plumbing, cloanli-
ness, and roRiildtiOn for maintaining
the purity Of tho atmosphere in rooms
occupied by tho babies, whether sick
or well. And experience proves that
these measures are sufficient, and that
tho bad-smolling substitutes for fresh
air which have boon proposed are
worthless and unnecessary.
Now come to the question OF destroy
ing disease germs in food and drink
ing water. Fortunately this is q very
simple matter, and it will mot be neces-
sary TO send to tho drug store TO have
the prescription filed. Those disease
Germs which are most frequently in
PRODUCED into the body in this way are
promptly destroyed by heat, and we
haye GOOD reason for believing that
tho deadly germs Of Asiatic cholera
and of typhoid fever are impotcnt for
mischief utter they have been sub
iccted TO boiling temperature, In
deod, We have experimental evidence
to show that all heterogeneous OF
the class to which the disease germs
belong, IN the absence of spores, are
killed by II temperature considerably
below the boiling point. Our knowl-
edge is not yet sufficiently exact to
enable us TO say with certainty just
what disease germs do not form
snores, and consequently are intalli-
bly, killed by a boiling temperature,
but VIC may pretty safely include in
the list small pox, diphtheria, puer-
peral fever, orysipclas, cholera, and,
perhaps, also typhoid and scarlet fe-
yer.
AS we have ample evidence of the
transmission of several of these dis.
eases by means of contaminated milk
or drinking water, it is evident that
We have precious resource IN the
simple expodient suggested for pro
tocting the littlo ones from this dan
rer. And when there is the slightest
ground for suspicion rs to the purity
Of the source from which milk or wa
ter for drinking is obtained, it will be
wise precaution for mothers to in
sist that these fluids, or food prepared
with them, shall be boiled before they
are given to their children, or to any
members of their household.
When it is thoroughly understood
that disinfection is in most casos eilec
tually accomplished by boiling, it will
hardly be necessary to suggest to those
in charge of tho sick that the simplest
way of disinfocting bed-linon and
clothing, which can be washed, is to
immerse it in boiling water In or
der to keep on the safe side it is well
to boil infected clothing for IN hour
or more.
1t is quite unnecessary to destroy
any article which can be boiled, but
it is better to burn woollcn clothing
which has been in contact with pa
TENTS suffering from smallpox or
scarlet fever, and which would DO in
jurcd by boiling.
Thus far VIC have not had occasion
to recommend the use of any chemi-
cal disinfoctants, but these agents
also have their use, and a very i'm
portant ono. They arc required for
the destruction of germs ut their
source, and especially in the excrcta
of patients with typhoid-fovcr and
cholera, and in the sputa of those
with diphtheria, tuberculosis, and
other infectious disease. We have
these deadly germs atan advantage in
the sick-room, where they arc con
tanned in comparatively small
amount of material, and they should
be destroyed at once; for many Of
them uro capable of infinite multiple
cation outside of the human body,
and to SOW them broadcast is to help
them reap their death-harvcst, cs-
pcccially when in sewers and cess
pools they find conditions favorable
Tor their abundant development.