Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-03-14

Association
SCARLET FEVER.
In this disease, as in small. pox, the
poison is given off from the bodies of
the sick. and is not reproduced in
dependently of them. AS we have
no knowledge of any means of pro-
lection corresponding with vaccina-
ton, prophylaxls consists solely in
keeping out Of the reach of infection
by the sick, or by articles infected
by them.
The sick person may communicate
the disease during the whole period
of his illness and onvalescence-al
period which often entends to five or
six weeks, or even longer than this.
Infected clothing, which has been
packed away for months, may COM
municate the disease; and there are
numerous instances on record Ct its
transmission to children at a distance
from the sick, by healthy persons who
have recently come in contact with
scarlet fever patients. The lower
amin ais, and especially pet cats and
dogs which may have visited the sick
room unnoticed, or which are thought
lessly given to convalescent children
for their amusement, constitute
great source of danger. Persons
who have suffered an attack of the
disease, or who have but little sus-
ceptibility to it, may have slight
sore throat as result of exposure to
the scarlet fever poison, and may
communicate the disease in its more
severe form to unprotected children.
One great difficulty in arresting the
progress of an epidemic by isolation
of the sick and dlsinfection, results
from the fact that these slight and
often unrecognized cases are fire
quently allowed full liberty.
Infection has been traced to milk
which has been standing in the sick
room, or to the same liquid which had
become infected at dairy where
scarlet fever had prevailed, and where
recent convalescents were permitted
to milk the cows.
All Of these facts point to a most
rigid exclusion of susceptible child
rem from every possible source Of in.
lection. The susceptibility of adults
is very much less, and, when attack
ed, they usually have tho disease in a
mild form. But their responsibility
extends far beyond the point OF
avoiding the sick for their own pro-
lection. Those who are associated
with susceptible children have nc
right under any circumstances to visit
the room of scarlet fever patient
without taking the most thorough
precautions with regard to the disin.
lection of their person and clothing
Immediately upon leaving it; and
even with these precautions, such a
visit cannot be justified when it is
made simply out of curiosity or friend
ship. Only those who are in attend
ance upon the sick should be allowed
in the sick-room, and they must be
regarded as infected persons, who
are not to be permitted to come in
contact with unprotected chi!dre,
while they are engaged in this duty
DIruTHERIA.
| This is disease in which the infect
ious material is given off from the
surfaces affected, and probably mo-
from the general surface of the body
AS the usual seat of the disease i,
the throat and the nasal mucous mem
brane, it is the discharges from these
surfaces which are especially danger
Gus. Although adults are much les'
susce ptible to the disease than child
rem, there have been numerous in
stances in which they have contracted
diphtheria by the accidental reception
of a bit of infectious material direct
ly into the fauces. This is especiall
liable to occur during the operation
of tracheotomy; and several ply
sicians have lost their lives in thi
) way, in their efforts to save those O
their patients by aspirating throug
the tracheotomy tube. 1t seems ex
tremely probable that the diphther
etc poison-germ-is capable of In
crease, independently of the sick, il