The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-09-11
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER IL. 1902
TYPHOID FEVER.
Rules for its Preventi0n-Read Care
fully and Govern Yourself Accord
ingly.
From Advance Sheets Of the August Blu
letin of the State Board Of Health.

49,
Typhoid fever is present in seven.
ty-five of the ninety counties reported
for July. 1t is therefore widely prev.
alent ia our State. 1t is a communi.
cable disease. spreading from one
case to another, though generally in
roundabout fashion. It's extension
can be prevented by the careful OBJ.
servance of simple rules. For the
information of the people we give
these rules, preceded by a statement
of the reasons upon which they are
based. If read and needed by even
few some lives would be saved and
much sickness would be prevented.
Read them and tell about them:
The active agency in the causation
of typhoid fever is bacterium, the
bacillus typhosus, which attacks and
causes the liberation of certain glands
in the small intestine, developing
therein by myriads. They are there
fore to be found chiefly in the bowel
discharges, although present also in
the excretion of the kidneys and to
some extent in the expectoration of a
person sick with the disease. From
one OF these sources, nearly always
the first named, the bacteria are
transferred to the intestinal tract of
healthy person. The poison is al
ways swallowed. The most common
agencies of transfer are the drinking
water, including milk infected from
washing cans in polluted water, and
the common house fly, although it
may be conveyed directly to the
nurse by her own soiled hands. and
sometimes in dust. The most impor-
tant rules therefore for the proven
ton OF the extension of the disease
may be stated as follows:
l. Cover immediately upon their
passage the body discharges-to pre-
vent access of flies.
2. AS soon as possible thoroughly
disinfect the discharges by mixing in
equal quantity with them one of the
following: (a) freshly made milk of
lime or ''white- wash" (unslaked
lime); (b) five per cent. solution of
carbolic acid; (c) to 1000 solution
cent. solution of folmalde-hyde After
standing a half-hour covered all the
time( the mixture should be buried
(never thrown on the surface Of the
ground) at a distance from the well
of not less than $50 feet.
3. Provide in the sick-room a
wooden tub one-third full of either of
the three last named solutions, and
drop therein as soon as removed
everything in the way of body or bed
clothing, handkerchiefs, towels, etc.
that have come in contact with the
patient, and keep them submerged
until they can be boiled. washed and
dried in the sun.
4. All remnants of food that may
for any reason be carried into the
sick-room must be burned.
5. The nurse should wash her
hands and dip them into one of the
solutions, preferably corrosive snbli'
mate, after every "changing" of the
patient. She should never draw
water from the family we'll unless g
pump is used. In case it should be
absolutely necessary she should dis
infect her hands as above before doing
so.
6. The soiled linen of the patient
should never be washed at or neal
the well or spring. The greatest care
should be observed to prevent the
drainage or seepage through the sol
into the well or spring from accumu
lation of all kinds. AS soon as case
of typhoid fever appears in family
all drinking water should be boiled
until a report on the same can be OBJ
tanned from the State Biologist, the
family physician making application
to the Secretary of the Board Of
Health for permit and sterilized
bottle.
z. AS the germ is present in the
intestine in the preliminary stages
and for several weeks after GONZALES
cence is established and the patien,
practically well, extra care of surface
privies should be observed. Every
evacuation should be Immediately
covered with lime or dry pow
dered earth.
Summary-Prompt distinction O.
all discharges from the body of the
patient; protection of the same
against flies; special care as to thu
drinking water; scrupulous cleanli
ness.
To the PROFESSIONALS the people
cannot be reached except through the
medical attendant we earnestly beg
all physicians having cases of ty
phoid fever under their care to insis,
upon the strict observance of the
above simple rules. Printed copies
OF the same will be furnished il
quantity upon request.