Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-12-21
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
4 History Of Their Prevalence in This
State.
Instructions to tbs Public Regarding
Their Treatment.

5 ate, 10 common with that in other States
Is substantially as follows;
| One ease or few eAses Of diphtheris o.
scarlet fever appear in family or a sehoo
The origin may be Importation, or it may be
unknown, The nrsi persons Affected art
not sufficiently secluded; the disease spread,
to other pupils in the school, to other mem
bers of the same family, TO other families
10 large part of the community or the to~r
| TO other ,owns, aud the result in lives de-
s,royed, in suffering from Illness, in watch
ing and anxiety, in time lost and in money
spent is sometimes appalling.
Fortunately the popular Judgment is fast
coming 10 recognize the fact that there is q
human responsibility in these matters; thai
If infectious diseases are allowed To spread
from their tirst points of appearance, soma
| body is To blame, the patient, friends, boards
OF health, the community at large.
IL is a fact. which has been shown again
and again in the experience of physicians.
nurses and health officers that those dis
eases which We call infectious or contagious,
may be prevented and restricted. and thai
their spread and prevalence is in very close
relationship to the amount of ignorance of
this fact. or want of regard for it, which
prevails In a community.
A person comes. therefore, naturally TO be
regarded as blameSorthy, even criminal,
who neglects or refuses . take those pre-
cautions, which are necessary to prevent the
spread of infection from himself, or from
those under his charge to hers. The man
who raises his hand against his fellow man
with a weapon, is held as n criminal under
the law. Is il not also criminal neellessly
10 expose others TO the poison of = danger
Gus disease, which he carries, or probably
carries in his person or clothingf Jurists
have answered as follows:
If man, conscious that he carries about
with him the germs of a contagious disease,
recklessly exposes the life and health of
others, he is public nuisance and crimi-
nal, and may be held answerable for the re-
suits of his conduct. If death occurs
through his recklessness, he may be indicted
for manslaughter. 1t is held that where a
man knowingly communicates a contagious
disease to another, and death results, the
crime is that of manslaughter. The man
may be Indicted also for spreading the dis
ease by conscious exposure of others there
to, by his presence in public places, such As
on the streets. in halls, etc."-Juige Dixon
of New Jersey.
We feel certain that every good citizen
also will answer "yes," and be willing,
when at rare Intervals, he or those under
his charge suffer from contagious diseases,
to take pains that no careless act of his may
be the possible death sentence of some other
person.
Contagious diseases can be kept from
spreading. The law of our State recognizes
this fact, and wisely makes the following
provisions
/. That whenever any householder
knows or has reason 10 believe that any per-
son With his family OF household has small
poI, diphtheris. scarlet fever. cholera, ty-
phus OF typnoid fever, he shall within TWEEN
ty-four hours give notice thereof TO the
health officer, when there is one. otherwise
to the secretary of the local board OF health.
2. That the local board of health shall
immedla ely notify the teachers in the neigh.
bUrhood where cases of the infectious dis
eases have occurred and it becomes the duty
Of he teacher to exclude from the school
h1use pupils and o her persons from the in
teced house or houses.
3. hat the patient shall be isolated
The power is conferred upon the loc i board
and the law II axes 1t lts duty to require the
solst on of all persons aud things that are
tainted with, or have been exposed to CON
tag Gus or infectious diseases.
4. That the public shall be notified Of in
+, ettd places by the display of red flags Or
placards at the entrances of the premises.
That dislufection of all infected places
and things shall be carried out in accordance
with the instructions eff the locBl board of
heal'h or the attending ,hysician.
4. The house-holders or parents shall not
permit infectious persons, clothing or other
things to be removed from the house without
A. -I.A
or attending physician
!. That nor parent. guardian. or other
person shall carelessly carry about children
OF others affected with infectious diseases, or
kao~ingly or wilfully introduce Infection.
persons into others persons house,
or permit such children under his care, TO
attend school, theatre, church or any public
place"
&. That mo person affected with small poI
scarlet fever, dipb:herls. or cholera, and no
person having acces, to any person affected
with any OF the said diseases shall mingle
with the general public, until such sanitary
precautions as may be prescribed by the
local board Of health or the attending. physI-
cian, shall have been complied with.
.. That persons recovering from infectious
diseases, and nurses VINO have been in at.
tendance on persons suffering from any such
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