The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-11-10

secretary OtdC0 OOdrQ OF dealtn.
The diptheria season is now here,
and few words to the public may be
in place. Diptheria Is communicable
germ disease due to the presence In
the circulation OF toxines or soluble
poisons excreted by Bacillus dlptheria,
whose local seat in human patients is
in the throat. The germ of dipthe1ia
was discovered in 1884 by two German
biologists, Loeffler and Klebs, hence the
germ Is populary called after their
names.
The clinical symptoms of diptheria
are the formation In throat Or on ton
sis of false membrane, and subse-
quently the development of symptoms
Of general poisoning, followed by paral-
ysis OF the muscles, especially those OF
the throat, eyes, heart and legs.
The isolation, by microscopic exami-
nation or culture methods, of the
Klebs-Loeff1er germ from throat exu-
dates or from the false membrane Is
the surest and quickest means of dag
nosing diptheria. This diagnosis is
very easily made when good samples Of
exudate are obtained from the throat.
Such examinations are made free OF
charge for physicians in the laboratory
OF the State Board of Health at Raj
eigh.
The germ of diptheria, when dried,
possesses great powers of resistance. 1t
may be found alive and virulent in the
dust of a room in which a person sick
with diphther!a had lived six months
or more previously. This fact indi-
Gates The importance OF thoroughly
disinfectins all rooms and buildings in
which cases of diptheria have occurred
before healthy persons, and more es-
pecially children, are permitted to in
habit. The best available dislnfectante
for this use are 40 per cent. fornalde-
hyde and sulphur fumes.
Formaldehyde, 40 per cent, can be
bought of most druggists. To use
this substance for disenfecting a room
FOR each 600 cubic feet of space, take
one pint. Add to this four times its
volume of clear water and evaporate
the whole over any kind Of heater
haying first made the room as nearly
alright as possible. Let room stay
closed for at least twelve hours. Thit
substance does not bleach colors nor IN
any way injure pictures or other ar
ticles usually found in homes.
If sulphur is used, take for each
900 cubic feet of space three pounds
Pour upon this a gill Of alcohol and
set fire to it, having first made the
room alright. To insure safety
against fire, place the sulphur in ar
iroa pan or pot and float the latter yes
Sol upon JdTS0 OlSu Vi WdIoIs LOO
the room remain closed for twelve
hours. Sulphur fumes are liable te
bleach colored cloths, paper and pic
lures. There are many "patent" ger
micides on the market, but most o
these are worthless. There are NJ
household disinfectants better or cheap
er than the two just mentioned.
1t must be remembered by all who
have responsibility for diphtheritic pa.
t1ents that for some three or more
weeks after all clinical symptoms O
the disease have vanished the germs
alive and virulent may still be found
in the throat and sputum OF patients
An attack of dIphtheria renders tb'
patent himself temporarily immune
from further infection, but such pa
tient may still infect healthy persons
The acquired immunity is only tran
sient, lasting usually but few weeks
The following rules concerning diph