The Somerset reporter., 1889-08-08
Contagious Diseases.


Geo Cushing the Secretary OF our To-
cal Board of health" has kindly furnish
ed us with the laws in regard to the
prevention of the spreading of conta-
gious diseases.
Contagious diseases can be Kept from
spreading. The law of our State reoog
nizes this fact, and wisely makes the fol
lowing provisions
/. That "whencver any householder knows
| or has reason 10 believe that any person within
his family or household has smallpox, dipthcra
scarlet fever, cholera, typhus or typhoid fever
he shall within twenty four hours give notice
thereof "to the health officer, when there is one
otherwise to the secretary of the local board OF
health. The same duty also devolyes upon the
physician when one is in attendance.
:. That the local board Of health shall i'm
medately notify the teachers in the neighbor-
hood where cases OF the infectious diseases have
occurred, and it becomes the duty Of the teacher
to exclude from the school-house pupils and
other persons from the infected house or houses
3. That the patient shall be isolated. The
power is conferred upon the local board, and
the law makes it its duty to require the isolation
Of all persons and things that are tainted with
or have been exposed to, contagious or infec-
tious diseases.
4. That the public shall be notified OF infect
at the entrances OF the premises.
3. That disiniection Of all infected places and
things shall be carried out in accordance with
the instructions of the local board Of health or
the attending physician
6. That house-holders or parents shall not
permit infectious persons, clothing or other
things to be removed from the house without
the permission Of the local board of health, or
attending physician.
!. That mo parent, guardion, or other per-
son shall carelessly carry about children or 9TH
ers affected with infectious diseases, or know
ingly or wilfully introduce infectious persons
into other persons houses, or permit such chill
dren under his care, to attend any school, thea
tre, church. or any public place"
s. That mo person affected with small poI,
scarlet fever, aiptheria or cholera, and no per-
| son having access to any person affected with
| any Of said diseases, shall mngle with the
general public, until such sanitary precautions
as may be prescribed by the local board OF
health or the attending physician, shall have
been complied with.
| 8. That persons recovering from infectious
diseases. and nurses who have been in attend
ance on persons suffering from any such disea.
ses. shall not leave the infected premises until
they have taken such precautions as are nee
eesary to prevent the carving Of infection
| 10. That no person shall Civ lend trans
nit, sell or expose. any bedding, clothing, oil
other article, likely to convey infection, without
first taking precautions the local board OF
health may direct for remoyeing the danger.
The legal obligations, therefore, of the
individual as regards the contagious dis
eases may be summarized as:
| Notification of the local board isola-
tion of the patient and of infectious
things, disinfection of person, clothing
rooms and other things which have be-
come infected.
| 1t is very important that all cases of the
infectious diseases be reported early
The local board will then be able to sat
isfy themselves either by personal con
ference with the house holder, or with
the attending physician. that the family
and attendants understand the proper
methods of preventing the spreading Of
the disease.