The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-10-13

occupied a large part o. hls time py
consumrt;.c, .he germs are not only
! more abundant but more persistent In
action than elsewhere, and the darker
and more badly ventilated the room
the more so. Moreover, persons who
live an indoor life are ,Aore susceptible.
PREVENTION.
From what has been said above, the
following specific rules of conduct are
deduced:
The sputum or spit OF consumptlve
should always be destroyed before 1t
can dry and assume the forrc Of dust.
Indoors be shc:;ld spit directly into
the open fire, it there be one, or into a
splttoon or spit-cup containing some
dislnfectant, 5 per cent. carbolic acid, 2
per cent. formaldehyde or one to two
thousand corrosive subllmate. Plain
water would be much hstter than moth
Ing, as it would keep the sputum moist
and tor so long a time innocuous.
The contents OF the spittoon should be
burned or buried and the vessel scalaed
with boiling water. Away from home,
especially in public places of all kinds.
| ne should religlousIy abstain from spit
ting on the floor or the sidewalk. He
| should always use soi>ae form of pocket
| spittoo..s OF which there are many varl-
cites that can be obtained at trif1ing
cost, or expectorate upon pieces OF rag
OF soft paper, which should be kept
wrapped up in parsffin paper or other
lmpervious material i:ntil they are
burned He should never spit into his
| handkerchief, lest the dry sputum be
! distributed In the air when he pulls
it out.
Special care should be taken not to
soil the hands, face or clothing with
the sputum.
A consumptlve should never cough,
sneeze, talk loudly or laugh towards
any one near at hand, but turn away
his face, or hold his handkerchief in
front OF his mouth.
No consumptive should ever he kiss
ed upon the llps-better not at all.
Regard for the safety OF his dear ones
! ought to make him refuse absolutely
to be kissed.
| Persons waiting upon consumptlves
! should wash their hands frequently,
always before eating. They should
abstain from sharing with them articles
OF food sent to their rooms. They
should, of course, keep constantly in
mind the rules OF prevention.
The tuberculous patient should have
his own toilet articles, tableware and
linen, and no one else should use them.
LII cleansing them they should be
boiled, or at least waehed with boiling
water.
| His underclothes, night-cIoLhes aud
bed-llnen should never be mixed with
the linen oi the family, but immedi-
ately upon removal be dropped into a
tub of water and kept wet until they
| can be boiled and washed.
| His room should be as airy and
bright with sunshine as possible, hay
ing southern exposure when feasible.
1t should be kept thoroughly ventil-
atad with at least one window open
day and night, winter and summer.
1t should be simply furnished. without
carpet, curtains, furniture upholstered
| in clni', If any k,nd--all dust catchers,
IN SHIRT. Ii should never be swept or
d, :sted, but wiped with dump cloth !,
which should Immediately afterwards
be burned, boiled, or soaked In a disin-
feeling solution.
No one, If it can be avoided, should
sleep in the room with consumptlye,
meyer IN the same or another bed very
close to his. Besides the risk O: catch
ing the disease, the second person
would consume a large part of the
oxygen OF the air which he so much
needs.
Children, who have habit CT
han ding everything and putting their
fingers in their mouths, ought not to
be allowed In the room. This applies
| with special force to the craving :ge
A room vacated by consumptive
should never be occupied by anothe,
uutil it has been disinfected. Renters
ought to refuse to take a house in
which a patient has lived until this
has been done. In cities the munich
pal authorities should require the I'm
mediate disinfection of every house
from which one dead of consumption
has been buried. 1t would be best to-
the city to have this done by its owr
Off :lals trained in the work. In order
to reach these cases every town shoule
forbid the burial or removal of any
corpse except upon tie presentation O
Death certificate stating the cause o
death, signed by the attending physi
: ciap. Progressive towns do this any
| or0or tn m Eo =,