The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1892-12-31
Sanitary Matters.

| DIR. Young, local health officer, has
secured the following from the State
board of health, and the same is pub
lished for the purpose of enlightening
the public on these matters:
Every suspected case of contagious
disease, cholera, smallpox, diphtheria,
let fever or measles, should be at
once isolated and the locality placarded
and closed to every one except at
PENDANTS.
In case OF cholera, or suspected chol-
era, if found among passengers on
railroad trains, due notice will be
given by the train conductor before the
arrival of the train at any terminal
point; and such cases must be met and
quarantined as far as possible from the
town limits.
For cases of small. pox, accommoda-
tions should be provided outside the
settled portions of towns or cities, where
isolation should be made complete, and
where all articles of clothing may be de-
stroyed after use.
Public funerals should not be held in
cases where death has occurred from
any of the contagious or infectious
diseases.
The sources of water supply, and the
character of water for domestic pur-
poses should be carefully scrutini2ed
and guarded, as impure water is a pro-
life source of disease.
The location and character of the wa
ter closets, privies and cesspools of
dwellings, business houses, etc, should
be inspected, and the owners or occu-
pants should be caused to place all such
in good sanitary condition.
In brief, whatever condition may af-
I feet the health of the community or the
individual, should receive the earnest
attention of the health officer, and. if
unsanitary, the remedy should at once
be vigorously applied.
The board of health requires n report
of each and every case of these diseases
occurring in the city, the report to be
made by the physician in charge or by
any one else who may be informed of its
existence; the house in which it occurs
is to be pIacarded by one of the sanitary
police Except in case of mcaslesl, and
this placard is to be removed by him
after the disease has terminated, either
by recovery or death, and the house has
been fumigatcd by the board Of health.
DIrIITHERIA.
This is one of the most dangerous and
fatal diseases known to mankind. 1t is
very contagious, principally by personal
contact with the patient or with articles
which have been in the sick room
Children under fifteen years of age are
most susceptible to it. but grown peo-
pie also frequently take it, with fatal
results; whole families of adults have
been known to fall victims TO it, al
I though with them it is not usually of
! such Il fatal type. Clothing may not
carry the germs of the disease, carpets
and bedclothes are especially liable to
retain them, the discharges OF the pa
tient are especially dangerous.
sCAELEr FEVER.
Scarlet fever, scarlet rash and scarla-
tina are identical, and the most fatal
form of the sickness may be communi-
Gated by TIE mildest case. In some
years this disease is us fatal rs diphthe-
ria 1t is very contagious, and fatal
eases have been known to arise from
clothing Worn BY sick children ten years
before. The same precautions are nee
essary as in diphtheria, and, in addition,
it must be remembered that the poison
of the disease is very active in the scales
of the skin which are shed after The rash
has disappeared. 1t is important, then,
to keep well children away from those
who have been sick until the process of
scaling has been completely finished
about six weeks, as rule-and the pa
tent should be well bathed and dressed
in absolutely clean clothing before be-
ing permitted to associate with other
children. All the clothing used should
be well boiled before being again used.
The same precautions that are given for
diphtheria apply to scarlet fever also,
and may be followed to the letter.
MEASLES.
This is so common disease that
many persons underestimate its gravity
and think it devoid Of danger. The
complications Of measles are always
dangerous. a physician should be
called to see every case from the be-
ginning. If this were always done
there would be fewer deaths from
measles.