The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-01-29
Health Commissioner Dixon Sounds
Warning to Mothers Who Do Not
Appreciate the Serious Mature
of This Disease.
MORE THAN SCARLET FEVER
Deaths From Measles Number Two
and a Half Times Those From
Scarlet Fever - Impaired
Eyesight and Hearing
Apt to Follow.

sylvania during the year 1906 accord
ing to the record kept by the Bureau
of Vital Statistics of the State Depart-
ment of Health. OF these, 1240 were
under five years of age.
During the month of December alone
of this past year, there were reported
to the State Department of Health,
2307 cases of this disease which annu-
ally kills about two and one-half times
more children than scarlet fever and
yet continues to be regarded by so
many people with comparatively little
concern.
How to make the public appreciate
the really serious danger of measles
and get them to observe precautions to
prevent the spread of the disease is
about the hardest problem in educa-
tional sanitary work that ] have en-
countered." said State Health Commits
sioner Dixon recently.
"A scarlet fever case in neighbor-
hood seems to strike terror to every
mothers heart. If quarantine regula-
tions are broken by the members OF
the infected household our health Of
fcers receive immediate complaints
from other parents in the vicinity who
are fearful that the disease may be
transmitted to their own little ones.
This is natural and right. for scarlet
fever Is a dangerous disease, but If we
could only get mothers to be equally
concerned in keeping their children
from the infection of measles, We might
save many home from the sorrow OF
an infant grave.
IF the child who has contracted
measles because it has been carlesslv
exposed to the disease escapes death,
too often a terrible affliction follows, as
for instance, seriously impaired hear
ing damaged eyesight or chronic re-
spiratory affections that sadly interfere
with the normal, mental and physical
development Is 1t not possible that
mothers will wake up to these real
| dangers in measules before it is too
late. as a life long sorrow and regret
is the penalty of their carelessness."
The seven hundred and fifty town.
partment of Health when notified of a
case Of measles in their district post
on the infected premises placard stat
ing that "all persons are notified of the
presence of measles and are warned If
the danger of visiting or coming in
contact with the occupants of this
house" The Health Officer also leaves
at the house a circular containing the
following instructions for managing
the disease and preventing the spread
of the infection.
Measles is by no means the harmless
disease 1t is thought to be by many
people, since 1t is shown by the statis-
tics Of the Department Of Health that
in some epidemics more children die
from measles than from Scarlet Fever.
For this reason it is imperative
that physician be summoned and
every possible effort made to check the
spread Of the disease.
The patient should be confined to
one room with windows screened.
which room should be well lighted and
ventilated and as remote as possible
from other occupied rooms in the
house
There should be neither carpets, cur
tains or upholstered furniture in the
room. In order to confne the infection
to this room a sheet kept constantly
moist with solution of Bichlorde OF
Mercury should be hung over the door
way.
ITO prepare this solution, dissolve
eight (S) Bichloride of Mercury tablets
in one gallon of hot water.
AN abundance of fresh air should be
admitted to the room, but the patient
should be protected from direct
draugths and strong light.
I "The air of the sick room cannot bt
disinfected during its occupancy by the
patient.
a THE practice of hanging up clothl
saturated with carbolc acid or placins
saucers of Chlorinated Lime or pre-
paratory disinfectants in the sick room
is not only annoying to the patient
hut utterly useless if not injurious.
5 "All bed and body clothing, includ
= ing handkerchiefs, towels, napkins
. cloths. etc, used for the collection 0
r discharges from the mouth and nos
| gh ha ltgfr kafN To- 4,
sick ROOM
For this purpose, use a solution
!. made by dissolving one-quarter (14) O
a pound of Chlorinated Lime (bleach
ing powder) in eight gallons of water
allowing such articles to remain in tn
solution at least three hours befor
being washed.
Eating utensils should be scalde
Q and remnants of food destroyed b
burning.
None but those actually in attend
ance upon the patient should be per
mitted to enter the sick room or com
in contact with the patient.
- THE nurse or attendant should wea
only washable clothing with a proteC
tive gown and covering for the hal
and when leaving the sick room shoul
remove such protective garments an
dislnfect exposed surfaces.
When the attending physician al
nounces recovery, the patient should /
given an antiseptic bath under the
rection Of the doctor, especial attentio
being paid to the disinfection Of th
hair and scalp.
THE antiseptic bath may be prepal