The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-25

from another bogy--to wit, the pestl-
lential character of graveyards. 1t has
long been imagined that the places in
which human bodies were literally re-
turned earth to earth" were veritable
breeding places of disease. The germs
of the maladies that had caused the
death of the bodies and innumerable
other germs and poisons generated by
the processes of decay were supposed
to permeate the soil, to rise from 1t in
noxius exhalations, and to contaminate
the streams of water that might flow
near by. Great cemeteries were sup
posed to be serious menace to the
health of cities, and one of the strong
est arguments in favor of cremations
has been that thus all these evils would
be entirely abolished. Without enter
ing into any controversy regarding the
respective merits of the incineration
and inhumation, 1t may be said that
this old notion of graveyards was Ill
founded. Mature" reports the results
of more careful and elaborate inves-
tigation of the subject which was re-
Gently made by DIR. Losener. In the
experiments the actual conditions at
tending ordinary burial were ad-
hered to as faithfully as possible, both
as regards the depth of the grave
and the inclosure of the body.
The duration of vitality of the various
| pathogenic bacteria was carefully OBJ
served, and was found to vary con-
| siderably. Thus the microbes of chol-
| era lived only 2S days, and those of
pneumonia a similar period. Typhoid
| bacill, of which there has been an es-
pecial dread In connection with ceme-
teries, perished after SO days of burial;
| and those of tuberculosis after from 30
| to 1913. Tetanus bacilli are supposed to
| live and propagate indefinitely in the
| soil, and indeed, after 264 days they
were found in a highly virulent condi-
| ton; but after 36l days they could
no longer be detected. The germs of
| anthrax alone survived a year and
more, and may well be reckoned the
most persistent of all. Attention was
also paid to the possible spread of the
| germs through the adjacent soil and in
| to streams of water. Generally speak
| ing, they did not spread, or none of
| them but those of anthrax. The last
named were found in the soil at some
distance from the body and also in wat
| er. None of the others We're to be
found, not even a few inches from the
| infected carcass. 1t therefore seems
safe to conclude that burial is, in gen.
| eral, a sanitary method of disposing of
| dead bodies, and that cemeteries are
not to be regarded as centres of in
fection or contagion.
| The following rules are given by an
| authority for the care of the mouth in sick
| persons: %. Patients with good diges-
| tive powers, free from fever, and with no
| loss of consciousness require no more
than ordinary care of the mouth. (D. In
| children and very old patients the less
| solid food taken the greater should DO
| the care with the mouth. They should
| rinse the mouth out several times day
| with lukewarm water containing little
common salt, tincture of myrrh, or eau
| de-Cologne added, to stimulate secretion
When there Is a tendency 10 bleeding of
| the gums, or when the teeth are bad, Il
pinch of powdered boric acid may be
| twice daily rubbed in between the lips
| and gums Patients with false teeth
| should remove their false teeth when,
| owing to loss of appetite or chronic gas
| trio disturbance. they cannot take solid
| food. 49, In patients with partial loss Of
| consciousness the mouth should be exam
| ined several times a day for small sores,
| such as may arise from the pressure of
| the teeth on the lips. etc. Such sores
| should be powdered with a little boric
acid or chlorate of potash. and the
| cracks at the corners of the lips heal
| quickly If dried with a clean towel and
| treated with boric acid or vaseline. The
mucuous1 membrane may be stimulated by
| wiping the tongue and mouth, and press
ing on the tongue with a moist towel
| every two or three hours; If necessary,
the hinder part of the tongue should be
| cleaned with a wad of cottonwood fast
| ened to a stem. If the patient sleep with
the mouth open the air in the room must
be kept moist; a moistened layer of mus
lin laid on the mouth may be of some SER
vice. (D. Patients with fever should have
something to drink-cold water or weak
lemonade-at least every hour; one must
not wait until the patient asks for drink.
Besides preventing dryness, the fluid main
tans the activity of the glands and the
whole function of the mucous membrane.
Many patients are prevented from drink
ing by a painful dry and cracked condi-
ton of the lips, and therefore all feverish
patients should, from the commencement
of their illness, havo their lips rubbed sew
eral times a day with vaseline or fat. In
protracted cases of fever the mouth may
also be swabbed out with oil, fat or great
ly diluted glycerine.