Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-06-13
10 PREVENT DIPHTHERIA
VALUABLE POINTS FROM THE
NEW YORK BOARD OF HEALTH.

III NEM DIh pAttbC l1OoAN VI A~SehANA
has issued valuable circular on the pre-
Ventlon of diphtheria. The information
and suggestions given in the circular are
applicable to all localities. 1t reads as
follows:
Diphtheria is preventable disease. Its
existence depends on conditions that can
generally be controlled. 1t may appear in
any community, but it should not be allowed
to develop beyond the first case or cases that
make their appearance. Diphtheria probably
always originates from special poison which
develops in the person sick with it, This
special poison is given off in the breath, in
the discharges from the mouth, throat and
nose, and In some degree in those from the
bowels and bladder. The virus has the
property of adhering tenaciously to objects
on which it happens to alight. By reason of
this the sick room, its floor, walls, furniture
and all its contents become infected with the
disease and continue to be so until the virus
isdestroyed by cleansing and fumigation.
The disease may also be carried away by
any article coming in contact with the sick,
and to which the virus clings, by the cloth
ing, bedding, eating utensils, food, toys, and
also by the persons and clothing Of those in
attendance upon the patient. Another im-
portant fact is that the virus is very long
lived; articles and premises infected with it
may communicate the disease for at least
several weeks; it may be transported by them
with great facility, and to an indefinite dis
tance.
A final important point is that bad sani-
tary conditions favor the development and
propagation of the diphtheritic virus. 1t
grows best in places that are damp and foul
and ill-ventilated, in cellars moist by imper-
feet drainage and defiled by uncleanly accu-
mutations in the soil about it: in damp, un-
ventilated spaces under floors; in cesspools,
drains and sewers, or any place where there
is dampness, filth and imperfect access of
fresh air. In large cities the sewers furnish
so favorable a place for the growth of this
virus when it gets into them, and its vitality
is so great under such surroundings, that
their infection may become permanent. No
similar conditions, however, need exist in
small localities.
Diphtheria is contracted by inhalation Of
air containing the disease germs coming di-
rectly from the sick or from articles infected
by them. 1t is also communicated by arti-
cles passing from mouth to mouth, such as
cups spoons and toys. The articles by which
it Is communicated may have become infected
weeks before, and possibly at some locality
quite remote. 1t is contracted by inhaling
the air of sewers, cesspools, cellars, or any
damp foul or ill-ventilated place in which
the disease germs chance to have become
pHubtus NHlluTtu u1uCl
more readily than adults.
Every locality is liable to have diphtheria
brought into it. 1t will not continue long if
the principal conditions on which its exist
ence mainly depends are removed; if the sick
are strictly secluded, the disease germs de-
stroyed, and all unsanitary conditions which
favor their continued development removed.
/. Isctdtion.-Those sick with diphtheria
should be isolated from everyone except
,,ocoSco att Thic cho,11d ha dGna
with mild cases as well as severe ones. They
should be placed in an upper, airy room, as
remote as possible from other living and
sleeping rooms. Needless furniture and
other articles should be removed from the
room. Allow the windows to be open, for
the poison does not go far away in the at
mosphere; give sunshine and fresh air con-
stantly.
The attendants should remember that they
carry with them the poison of the disease,
and they must keep entirely away from
others, especially from children, who take
diphtheria most readily. No article should
leave the room without cleansing or disinfec-
ton. Utensils used by the sick should be
well cleaned before use by others. Food left
by them should be destroyed. Bed and body
clothing should, before being taken from the
room, be placed in disinfectant No. 2, boiling
hot, if possible. Cats and dogs should be ex-
cluded.
The discharges from the mouth and nose
must be received on cloths that can be burned,
or in cups that can be disinfected Vessels
for receiving the discharges from the mouth,
nose, kidneys and bowels should contain some
of disinfectant No. / or 8, and after use should
be cleansed with boiling water.
The patient must not mingle with the well
until all traces of the disease have left the
throat and nose Before leaving the sick
room the body should be thoroughly washed,
and fresh uninfected clothing should be put
ON, leaving everything else behind to be dis
infected Nurses must observe the same
final precautions.
2. General P'ecautions.-All should avoid
sources of contagion. Well children had
better be removed entirely from the house,
but should be kept under observation, and If
diphtheria develops brought home again so as
not to establish new centre. Persons re
naming in the house should not go to school,
church, or any general gathering, nor to any
house where there are young persons Ii the
disease has secured foothold in locality,
every case of sore throat should be regarded
as suspicious and excluded from schools and
from contact with other children, Tt would
be well to make sure that milk is not taken
from dairy where the disease exists
g. Sanitary recauttons.-Houses should
be kept clean, dry and well ventilated; par.
ticular attention should be given to the cellar
Drain pipes and fixtures should be perfect
The premises should be well drained, leeching
cesspools and privy vaults removed, all de
composing accumulations Of garbage or stable
manure cleared away, and the place made in
every way clean. These precautions are tx
be especially observed about domiciles where
the disease exists. The condition of school
houses should not be overlooked
A. In case Of death the body should be in
closed in a sheet saturated with diSinfectan
No. 8, placed in tight coffin not afterwart
opened, and burial should be private and
with as little delay as possible.
DIs1NFEcr1oN. .1s'w.'
1. Of the Room During its occupancy a
q sick room, the precautions suggested abov'
as to destruction of disease germs ATTACHED
to articles of any sort before their remova
from it should be carefully observed. At tn
should be tightly closed and with all its in
fected contents fumigated with the fumes 0
burning sulphur or Of chlorine, which, es
pecially if the latter is used, should be don
only by competent person. Arrange all tn
contents of the room SO that their surface
are readily reached by the disinfecting gas
The room should remain closed for twenty
four hours, after which it and its content
z should be aired thoroughly for several days
The woodwork should also be thorough,
washed, especially the tops of doors and win
dows and solution No. 2 OF. applied. Cell
iRgs should be, whitewashed and wall pape
removed, and the walls washed with one o
the disinfectant solutions.
Sulphur FMnaigGtion. Roll sulphur, in tn
proportion of two opounds for room ten fee
square, is burned by placing it in an iron ket
tie, set in q tub containing little water t
guard AGAINST fire Tt NAV ha ionited hv nouY