The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-05-16
TREATMENT OF CONTAGIOUS DIS
EASES

EASES
The patient during incubating stag
must be protected from exposure, am
should eat only plain easily digestet
food. When the first symptoms become
manifest, it is best TO contine the patien
to one or two rooms even though they
be up and dressed every day; only il
that way can protection from drafts from
open doors or windows be insured. The
room or rooms used on the second foo
il possible should he west or south rooms
having windows which allow of perfec
ventilation, and, if possible, provided
with an open CRATE. All draperies. up
holsteIed, bric-a brac, etc., should b,
removed. Have the bed so placed tina
it will be protected from draughts o.
direct sunlight. Over the door connect
ing with the other parts of the hous,
hang a sheet. This is to be kept con
stantly wet with some disinfectant solu
ton.
The room should be kept at su Gver
temperature of 700 or 72s, and rendered
moist by the evaporation of water con
tanning some disinfectant, either by
placing dish containing it on the stow,
or in the register.
The covering on the bed should be al
light as compatible with sufficient
warmth. Don't put the patient int
wooden blankets; use muslin sheets anC
change as often as every other day, be-
ing sure the [. esh ones are thoroughly
aired, doing this in another room. A
double blanket and counterpart will
usually be enough covering and they are
easily washed. Cuspidores and cham
bers should constantly contain disinfec
tants into which all charges from the
patient should be received, as should the
water into which soiled clothing should
be Immediately placed as soon remov'
ed from the patient. Measles, like Other
diseases, has its period of in
cubation, lasting usually from ten &c
twelve days. The exact nature of the
poison is undecided. After the period
of incubation comes the stage of invas-
ion. The symptoms of this stage are
those of a cold in the head. There is
headache, discharge from nose, rednes9
of eyes, a cough, often quite croupy at
the start. II is during this stage that
the disease is oftenest given, which co
counts for the almost simultaneous de-
of several cases in one neigh
borhood or school. The appetite is
usually lessened, sometimes there is
Drowsiness alternates with restlessL esS,
the face is flushed and there is present
fever Of a remittent type, the clinical
thermometer registering 101o or 1925
Fah.; the pulse is 10 or l16 per minute.
This stage lasts from two to four days,
when the stage of eruption is ushered in
by the appearance on the face of the
in front of the ears, near the
scalp, finally all over, although the
eruption can before this be seen in the
roof of the mouth and upper part of
pharynx, where it causes to some extent
the catarrhal symptoms. The eruption
consists of fiat, dark red blotches; they
show a remarkable tenanity to coalesce
into crescentic masses about the size of
an ordinary bean. These patches may
be separated from each other by healthy
but if the rash comes out
well they are liable to be continent on
face, back, and mates. AS the rash be-
comes more developed it grows darker,
purplish color. The patches
feel raised to the examining finger, and
il pressed upon become livid, the color
from center to periphery.
With the appearance of the eruption all
the systoms increase in severity, until
the rash having come out on all parts of
the body from face down to feet, at the
end of second or fourth day at the latest,
the more severe SYMPTOMS begin TO disap
ln 10 Id wi N rot
the parts on which it first appeared.
AS the rash fades the fourth and last
stage begins, that of desquamation or
scaling off of the cuticle follows, which
lasts ten to twelve days, the amount de-
pending somewhat on the abundance
Of the rash.
The complications most common to
measles are, affections of the lungs,
bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, espec-
ally with lily developed rash, and in
of the eye and ear. Con-
Vulsions often occur from suppressed
rash, or from spread of Inflammation to
brain or membranes, each one requiring
special lines of treatment. Mild cases OF
measles often require no other treatment
,han confinement in bed or IN one even
y.heated room, partially darkened and
prevented from using the eyes even in
mild cases. Reading, looking at pic
ures and sewing should be prohibited
or several weeks. For dlet,a milk diet,
,r toast and farinaceous food, hot drinks
ire admissible to bring out the rash, but
void sweating the patients. Do not al
ow constipation, nor on the other hand,
lse any but the nildest cathartic, lest
'ou bring on bowel difficulty, and give
'nly a very small dose.-GoOd House
;eeping.