The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1896-03-28
Board Of Health State Of
Louisiana.

St. MdEtfU, III i,h, Lo'
Dear Sir:
As numerous applicat ions have been
made to this office by Health Officers
throughout the State for information |
and suggestions concerning the SANTA
nv treatment of Small Pox cases in COM
munity, it is thought alvisable to issue
the following letter setting forth the
practices of this Board.
Methods of Disf1fection Of Small Pox
infected premises, as practiced by the
Board of Health, State of Louisiana; and
Suggestions to Health Officers.
All clothing and bedding that has
been in contact with patient should be
burned. To insure rapid combustion,
the articles are sprinkled with coal Oil
or turpentine. These articles when col
lected should be wrapped in sheet
that has been saturated in Mercuric
Chloride Solution q to 1000 before be-
ing taken from the house.
Clothing and other fabrics that have
not been in contact with the patient.
and that will admit of such treatment.
should be boiled in water for at least 30
minutes, and then rinsed in solution
a to 1000 of bichlOride of mercury.
(say dram to gallon Of water. and
afterwards laundried. All secretions or
excretions from the patient that cannot
be burned should be disinfected with
mercuric solution. Napkins and cloths
used about the patient should be burn
ed Immediately after being used. The
patient should be confined until all pus
has disappear and desquamatiOn II COM
plete and should be thoroughly spOnged
off with tepid water and soap. and dress
ed in new or non-infected suit before
being released. II the patient dies. the
body should be wrapped in sheet satu'
rated with bi-chlodide of mercury (sOl.
to 500 and placed in tight coffin. and
should be buried in an extra deep grave
Public and church funerals should be
positively forbidden.
ROOm-All drawers and doors OF fur
niture should be opened and all fabrics
that do not admit of other treatment
should be opened out as much as posi-
BILE and suspended in the room. Tit
room should be closed and made as tigh
as possible by stopping all opening II
floor. walls, chimney and cracks nea1
windows and doors. Crevices can b
closed by FASTING strips Of paper (ol'
newspaper over them with paste mad
/ Of -four. After the room has been thu
!. prepared, roll sulphur should be burne'
in the room pounds to 1000 cubic fee
: of air space. or about 6 pounds t
an ordinary room. The sulphur shout,
be placed in an iron pot, and this pla
!. ced in tub with about one inch of wa
5. ter in the bottom. This precaution /
e taken to guard against accidents. as tn
= sulphur is liable to boil over and set FIR
5 to the house. This sulphur is easil
ignited by sprinkling alcohol over il
= and then lighting it or bv placing kind
ling pine in the pot crOsswise. and pill
ing the sulphur on the lighted pint
The apartment should be kept close
fifteen hours, and then opened and wei
ventilated. After this ventilation tn
!. walls, floor, ceiling aud furniture shout
be we'll sprinkled with mercuric chic
rifle. solution to 1000, and afterward
washed down with warm water. II tn
walls are papered the paper should b
torn off; if the walls are plastered the
should be given coating of whitewas
made with lime and the bi-chloride 81
luton.
The yards. drains, cesspoCls, ETC., cal
be cheaply disinfected by flushing wit
- a solution of sulphate of iron (copperas
1 pound to gallon of water.
All cases should be completely isola
ted and guarded, both day and nigh
by trustworthy guards. and no one al
lowed to enter or leave except the doc
tor who, of course, should be we'll waco
mated and have his dress covered by
buster or rubber coat before enterin
the sick room. This covering should b
disinfested by washing in bi-chlOrid
solution after each visit, and the hand
of the physician should also be washe
i'm this solution before leaving the house
All persons who have been exposed [