The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-03
MEDICAL NOTES,

Contagious and infectious diseases are
often confused in the public mind There
Is however, a wide difference In the
character A contagious disease is one
that is transmitted by actual contact
with virus, while an infectious disease
may De transmitted without contact
An epidemic disease is one that infects
several communities at the same time.
or in succession, while an endemic disease
Is one that first infects a single COM
munity, the shade of difference in +ha
terms being one of area only, the disease
pelng INFECTIOUS or contagious in each
case.
In contradiction to these terms the
word sporadic is used TO designate a
disease which occurs singly, not being
epidemic or endemic. Such diseases ara
ldlopathlc, as rule, arising primarily
from conditions within the person. hut
they may be symptomatfc or tra11matfc-
symptomatfc disease is one that
arises secondarily, from a primary dis
ease, as one of the symptoms, the re-
suit of disordered function which
induces the disease.
sympathetic disease is one arising
from the sympathy of one organ or.
junction with another dfsordered one
and a traumatic disease is one resu1tine
from an injury
Cleanliness of the person. and in the
surroundings, naturally prevents in a de-
gree the liability to epidemic or lido
! pathlc diseases Many of the idiopathfc
/ diseases are due to improper eatfrp and
| drinking or a neglect of natures laws
/ such as sufficient amount of s1aep
| burning the candle at both ends nat1Ir
/ ally wastes the substance, and WORKING
| hard at play, after a weary DAVIS work
| wastes the vital tissue as the flame cor,
sumes the candle.
DR.. Hitler, in the British Medical To,,r-
nal, states that the chief objects r. bo
| obtained in the prevention of tubercu-
| losls, in private life, are the destruction
| OF the disease and sterility of the soil
! The chief sources of danger are dust
| the milk supply, including butternfIl,
SKINNED milk, butter and cheese. and
| meat. To protect ourselves against this
| disease 1t Is advisable to avoid dust &c
much as possible, and to carefully re-
/ move accumulatfons of it from horses
! public buildings and conveyances. using
moisture to prevent 1t from flying about.
Danger of Infection by milk may be
avoided by sterilizing all the milk by
| oIiHsAnS II 10 the boiling point or by OBJ
tanning it from dairymen who will guar
| antee that the tuberculine tas+ is ,,rod
| periodically and that none but baa1+b1,
| COWS are kept. Infection from b-,++ar
| ana cheese can be obviated by demandfno,
guarantee OF some method of steriliza.
| ton or the milk and cream. The risk
from meat is not SO great and can ha
obviated by the purchase of meat from
slaughter houses in which inspection is
| periodically carried out It Is noa++a5
of Importance in dealing with eonsnnoT-
tive cases to see that they are proneriv
instructed in matters necessary to tbajr
own and the public health. They must
be made to recognize that they must on
tirely adapt their lives, for the sakes of
themselves, their families, and their
nelghbors, to the requirements of the
disease.
In the Medical Brief attention is called
10 the danger Of Catching cold at this
season. Now is the time when the saads
of catarrh are being sown freely in tba
shape Of an autumn cold A cold does
not always, or necessarily. settle In the
nose or throat 1t may select the ston-
ach, bowels, liver, kidney, OF other or
gan as a point of attack II not pron-
: erly treated and cured the majority of