The morning call., 1890-11-10
DIPHTHERIA.
Some Timely Advice From the
State Board Of Health.
how to Prevent Its spread-Proper Treatmen.
.or The Sick-Rscipes fer Fumig ting
and Disinfecting.

California State Board of Health is a timely
one and worthy of the most careful consid-
Grafton. 1t is entitled "Preventable
Disease Circular. Facts for the People Con-
corning Diphiheria," and treats of the re-
strictl0n and prevention Of the dread disease
in tile folio wing language:
Dphtheria having recently shown evil
dence of tendency to spread and assume a
more malignant type, the state Board OIL
Health deems II prudent 10 issue lhlS clr-
cular and disseminate as widely as possible
among the people the knowledge of certain
facts and principles, which seem to be well
established, as TO the nature and causes of
this disease, and the best mode OF its re-
SlrictiOn and prevention,
All are agreed that dphtherla, like other
Zymotic diseases, is not the necessary lot of
humanity; that it is proven table; that its
rayages are due, in very large measure. to
neglect; to the violation, in one way or
another, of sanitary laws, and that, though
1t may not be generated by filth. it finds
there soil favorable 10 its development;
that it grows and tiOuriSheS there, and that
the human system is rendered by it
especially sensitive to morbific Influences of
every kind. \ susceptibility to disease and
to the contagious principle by which 1t IS
prOpagated is thus induced, and hence the
liability of its dissemination among the
members of a family or others more re-
motely and Indirectly exposed is greatly in-
creased. 1t is better, therefore, to avoid
and lower the vital resistance to disease.
This it is certain, filth anu uncleanliness in
and around the dwelling does.
Though there IS much IN common among
the contagious diseases as to the method OF
their propagation by contasion, there are
differences peculiar to each which it is i'm
DOrtant to bear in mind
SEATS OF CONTAGION.
In smallpox the special seat of activity
of the contagium-" its breediag,.places," to
use a common TERMS in the skin and its
eruption and the contents oil the yeslcltS,
and III the SecretiOnS from the mouth and
throat; in scarlet lever in the skin, even 10
the termination of tie deSQuamatiye or peel
ing process and in the secretlOns; in mea-
ses, in the skin, and in the discharges
from the mouth, nose and air passages, and
probably in the tears; IN diphthera in the
throat. nose, or other seat OF the emulation
of membranOuS deposit.
These may be considered the special seats
or vehicles OF cnntagloD, while in all these
diseases, with varying degrees of certainty,
communication may be established through
the breath. the perSpTa lon, the discharges
from the mouth and throat by articles of
clothing. or other substances with which
the various SecretlOns and Civilizations of the
body may. either through the atmosphere,
or more directly, CONS in contact. There is
also reason to believe that the cOntagium of
diphtberia is conveyed bysihe excavations
from the bowels of those sick with the di-
Herewith. The disease seems also to be
capable of being conveyed by means of the
domestic animals, as dogs and cats, which
have frequenfed the apartments of the sick.
From consideration of these general
facts pertaining TO the cauSatlOn OF dlph-
liberia may be deduced rules for its hygtenic
management, and its prevention.
ITS HYGIENIC MANAGEMENT.
The disease having been introduced into
family, the fact of its eontagiousness should
be promptly recognized, and suitable pre-
cautions taken:
(a) By strict isolation of the sick. Shut off
all communication with the house. especi-
ally by children. and admit to the apartment
only those absolutely required as nurses.
Though children are very much more liable
to the disease than adults, and commonly
have il in a more severe form, the latter do
have II, aud, besides, by visiting the sick,
expose themselves 10 the risk of conveying
the cJntagon to others. Visits of sympathy,
therefore, however benevolent and COM
mendable their motives. should be avoided.
(b) Other members of the familv-chidren
under fifteen years of age more urgently,
for reasons Just stated-should be removed,
if possible, to a part of the house having no
direct communication with the apartments
occupied by the sick person. If the latter
is in the upper stories of the house, probably
the rooms on the lower floors may be safely
used.
(c) The room occupied by the sick should
NC ia 9t, tx pOstu. MHtI6 10 Liz
sunlight, and capable of being well yenti-
lated 1t should be remeE bered. in this
connection, that by good ventilation is IN
delstOod an abundance of fresh air without
draught. All useless furnture-curtains,
carpets and the like-shOuld be removed. A
disinfeciant solution should be kept in the
room in an uncovered vessel, in which in
fected clothing suitable for washing. soiled
shirts, pillow cases, blankets, etc, should
be soaked before removal from the apart
hA I'd Ha.a
same diSinfectant solution. being stainless,
may be spriukled over the bedding and car
pets. when the latter have not been re-
moved, or it may be occasionally difuSed
through the room by an ordinary spray in
strument, thus reaching and destroying ill.,
feet GUS particles IN the atmosphere.
USEFUL DIsINFEcTANTs.
a solution recommended for the above
purposes may be cheaply made by dissolv-
ing eight ounces of suphate Of zinc (white
YitTioU aud four ounces of common salt in a
gallon of water. 1t is better than carbolic
acid and has the additional advantage Of
being odorless. For convenience the iu-
gradients may be mixed by using four
tablespoonful of zinc, two OF Salt and one
gallon of water.
ID All discharges from the bowels and
kidneys Of the patient should be immedi-
ately dlslnfected by pouring over them,
literally, the diSinfectsnt Just mentioned.
or by solution OF sulphate of iron cop
peras, or green vitroD, made by diSsolving
about one and half pounds of the salt 10 a
gallon OF water. They should then be re-
moved and. preferably, buried, and never
less than 100 feet distant from any wen.
The Secretions of the nose and throat
should be received upon rags and these
burned.
(e) Nurses and attendants should be re-
Quired to keep themselves and their patients
rs clean as pGSsible-their own hands should
frequently be washed and disinfected by
chlOrinated soda or carbolic acid solution.
The attendants upon the sick should not
communicate nor associate with ether men,
beTS of the family, or with the public, with
out having first changed their clothes, and
washed and disinfected themselves. The
zinc solution may be advantageously used
for this purpose; or thymol "a substance OBJ
tanned from the common thyme and some
other plants, prepared by dissolying one
half ounce of thymOl in two ounces of al
c0hol, and adding tablespoonful Of this to
,One-half gallon OF water. 1t is believed to
be valuable diSinfectant, eq Ial to and less
disagreeable than carbolic acid. This sOlu-
ton may also be used as a spray about the
room.
Corrosive sublimate, in the proportion of
a quarter of an ounce to the gallon, is an
unsurpassed geTmicide and disinfectant, but
has the disadvantage of being excessively
poisonous, and therefore dangerous Tor gen.
eral use.
u Death occurring. the body should be
thoroughly washed with the zinc solution,
and then wrapped in a sheet wet by soaking
IN the same. 1t should then be placed in q
tight coffiu. The funeral should be private.
The body clothes worn by the deceased
should be burned, or effectually treated with
the zinc solution, as above advised.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.
(g) In case of recovery of the patient, be
should still be kept apart from others
especially children-untl all his clothing
has been completely disinfected with the
boiling zinc solution. He should be provided
with uninfected clothing, and should not be
allowed to attend school, or other assem-
blages, until in the judgment OF competent
medical authority 1t is safe SO 10 do. The
tenacity of the contagious principle IN diph-
iberia is admitted to be very great, and the
period of time after recovery from the dis
ease, when the danger of its communication
to others may be considered past, is as yet
uncertain. There is good evidence in the
fact that the disease has been conveyed by
infected clothing several weeks, and even
months, after having been worn.
09 The room occupied by the sick should,