The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1905-11-15
Typhoid Fever At Home

4
of managing is easily solved BY
sending the patient to some hospi
tai. where physicians and trained
nurses take him in charge, and ht
is treated according to the latest
most approved sanitary methods
In the country. where trained
nurses are still scarce and where
the sick must be nursed by Other
members of the family, most oi
the bad nursing and grave mis-
management comes from want oi
knowledge: the fearful helplessnese
and destructive inefficienoy which
comes from not knowing what to
do for the patient, "the leaving nm
done hat should be4done and
doing what should not be DONE
A few hints as given by DIR. Kate
Lindsay in the Rousekeeper to
help suoh may be useful.
Two things she uld be borne in
mind for the systematic treatment
of all cases of infectious disease
first, to limit the spread of the in
fection and protect all other mem
bers of the family from the disor-
der; second, to do everything to
modify the course and character of
the disease so that the danger of a
fatal ending will be lsssened, the
time of illness shortened and oom-
pl.c4tions avoided.
When a case of typhoid fever or
other infectious disorder occurs in a
home the welfare of the family de-
mands isolation so as to avoid in
footing air. food or water used by
it's members. As the typhoid fever
patient does not infect by either
brath or skin exhslation the safety
of the family as well as the welfare
of the patient can be secured by
complete disinfeoting, cleanliness
and destruction of disoh 4rges from
from bowels and bladder, and all
expeotoration from lungs and any
olher discharge from nose, eyes.
ears or any sore.
When caring for the case she
should not prepare or handle any
food or drink used by the family
To save herself from infection she
should alwys wash her hands be
fore eating. and never eat from any
dishes used by the patient. 1t
were best never to sleep in the
sickroom. Should she be COM
PEELED to do so, she should always
arrange her cot so that the air our
rent flows from, not toward her
bed. An open window between
her and the sick bed is desirable.
ALI refuse such as paper, sweeping,
combings and left over food and
the like should be burned. The
floor should not be oarpeted; furni-
ture plain and not upholstered, as
little as can be gotten along with.
Never use broom for sweeping,
but pick up dust with a damp rag
and bnrn.
The aim is to shut off all liabili-
ty of food or drink infection from
sick room. B bling will not make
unclean food or drink clean, but it
will kill all living germs and pre-
vent infection. Therefore all food
and water should be boiled, both
what is used by patient and what
is used by all the family. In fact.
if the disease is epidemic or there
is danger food and water infection,
it is safest for the endangered COM
munity to use only food and water
sterlized by heat.
The time to out short the attack
is during the first week of onset
Complete rest in bed, a complete
fast of from two to four days. At
this time there is more or less loss
of appetite. The digestive fuids,
such as the saliva, gastric juice
and intestinal digestive secretions,
are more or less weakened, often
losing all digestive properties
Food taken into the alimentary
canal only fernents and poisons
and weakens instead of nourishing
the patiena. Spoiled sood also
favor the growth of the fever germs,
which are at this time invading the
glands of the bowels If complete
rest is taken and plenty of clean
water drank there.is no need fol
any fear about starvation. A mild
laxative is often useful to cleanse