The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-23
THE DIPHTHERIA.
Important Suggestions as 10 Diphtheria
by DR.. CaVerly.

Rutland; IN MechanlcVille the schools
are closed; in Hoosick Falls there is
more or less of the disease and it has ap--
peared again in North Bennington. On
account of these circumstances the re-
marks below by DR.. CaYerly of the State
Board of Health are timely. We copy
from the Herald:
However interested the general public
may be in regard to the progress of that
scourge, cholera, it is evident that a.
| local interest, quite extraordinary in
degree, attaches to the subject of diph-
liberia.
However careful physician may be
in his directions to a family in regard to-
the management of this disease, if they
and their neighbors do not comprehend
the reasons for his directions and do not
intelligently abide by them the disease
cannot be stamped out. SO a word in
regard to this disease, its nature, its
methods of spreading, and its manage
ment, for popular use, may not be amiss.
Diphtheria is an infectious and conta-
gious disease. 1t is infectious because
it is due to a specific poison. 1t is con-
tagious, as every one knows, because it
can be communicated from the sick to.
the well through the air. The poison
of the disease exists in the throat, nose,
mouth or in the part of the body where
the disease is located. 1t is contained in
all the mucous discharges from the seat
| of the disease.
Filth of all kinds is dangerous because
it offers a good place for the disease
germs to breed. Sewers, drains, ETC..
are always suspicious places and become.
more so after the discharges from a case
have been thrown into them. Bedding,
clothing, eating utensils, carpets, crew
| ices in floors and beds, etc., are natural
lodging places for particles of infectious
material.
Children are peculiarly susceptible to
the disease and slight exposure is quite
likely to result in their having it. Adults
are less likely to acquire it, though by
no means exempt.
The disease is not always serious
There are mild cases as well as severe.
Indeed, there are cases so mild that the
subject does not see the need of a doctor
or of staying abed, or even at home.
1t prevails most during the cold and
changeable weather from November LIST
to May 1st.
The secret of its successful manage
ment in community lies in the early
recognition of the disease and the thor.
ough control of it or of its subject. The
opportunity to curtail an epidemic is in
its incipiency. The complete control of
the first case is the key to the situation.
Certain rules for the management of
this disease are generally recognized as
imperative. Some of these are:
L, In case of a sore throat in the fam
lily isolate it until physician can deter
mine its nature.
2. In case it is diphtheria, isolate it
entirely and completely, with a compe-
tent nurse, in room as large and light
and airy as possible, from which carpets,
draperies and all unnecessary furniture
have been removed. No one, except the
nurse and doctor, should enter the room,
and they should disinfect themselves
when leaving it. Nothing-eating uten-
sis, clothing, linen or anything else
should leave the room without disinfec-
ton. The object of this strict quaran-
tine is to confine the disease-its poison
to limited area and not have it scat
tered over house haphazard.
3. In case the disease ends in recov-
cry the patient should be taken from the
room after a thorough bath and the
nurse should have the same, which in
both instances should include the hair.
The room with everything in it, includ-
ing the clothing of the patient and nurse,
should then be fumigated. The method
of fumigation which is generally recOg-
nized as efficaciUus is as follows: First,
make steam in the room by means of an
oil stove and kettle of water or any
other way that will fill the air of the
room with moisture. Then burn in the
room at least two pounds of sulphur to
each 1000 cubic feet or air space. Leave
the room closed tightly, doors and
windows well corked, for "A hours Then
air thoroughly for another day. After
fumigating, the clothing, bedding and
everything that will not be injured there
by should be treated to boiling water,
and kept in boiling water for half-hour
at least.
The floor, walls, ceiling and bed should
be washed with a solution of corrosive
sublimate of the strength of 80 grains to
the gallon of water.
4. In case of death, the body should
| be Immediately wrapped in sheet satu-
rated with the solution of corrosive sub
Innate mentioned above and buried as
soon as practicable.
am aware, Mr. Editor, that the rules
l have briefly gone over have often been
published and are hardly news. Still,
every one who has had much experience
with this disease is well aware that it
does not pay, financially or in any other
sense, to adopt halfway measures in its
management. So, while these rules may
| uOJ III dll I6Sp6CIS De DeJIeI lldu SOLuS
others, they are not too specific or ex-
acting if followed literally. am aware,
too, that most of our physicians adopt
these or other rules that are equally
successful in controlling this disease;
still it is evident that their efforts in
carrying them out are not always sue
cessful. For this reason, and in order
that we may get rid of this disease and
be kept free from it, beyond an isolated
case now and then which will be very
sure to arise, everybody should know
something of the requirements for its
successful management. The physician
should never, be handicapped by preju-
dice or lack of faith in his judgment as
to what is necessary in a given case.
Everybody should be glad to give earnest
and strict compliance to his advice in
these cases. 1t is for the advantage of
the patient and the patients family; not
for the physicians especially.
The public generally has an interest
in seeing this disease properly handled,
for the carelessness of one family may
threaten the whole community. So the
health department is entitled to the
moral and pecuniary support of the peo-
pie and neither should be withheld when
the public health is threatened.
What l have said is not with view of
alarming any one about our present stu