The labor world., 1908-06-06

6 il
public outdoor relief III one Of the.
smaller cities of the state, IN which.
visit to these four homes revealed the
following conditions: . .. r''I =
Some Revolving Conditions. = /.
! Case No. 1. Husband, IS years Of
age, in the last stages of the disease;
confined to his bed. Two small chill
dren and wife. Apartment consists
of two small bed rooms, kitchen and
living room; all in a basement IT,
below the grade of the street. Prem
! ises in an untidy condition. Until very
| recently elder child slept with her
father. Windows tightly closed. Ell
der child and neighbor's child play
ing on the floor close by the patients
bed on date of visit.
| Case No. 2. Head Of the family
died of tuberculosis few days before
the visit. Wife and seven children,
ranging from 16 to 21a years survive.
Premises in a very filthy condition.
Oldest boy slept with his father until
about a month ago. Apartment con-
sists. Of parlor, kitchen and three bed
rooms. Boy, aged 10, and girl, aged
2z appear to be in very poor health.
Case No. 3. Husband, aged S5
years, last stages of tuberculosis
Wife, two children, aged and 3, and
four boarders, two men and two wo-
men, all occupy an apartment in the
basement, consisting of kitchen and.
two bed rooms. One bed room occu-
pied by the two male boarders one by
the patient and his wife, the two wo-
men boarders and the two children
sleep in the kitchen. Windows tightly
closed; bedding very soiled and dirty:
no sanitary provision for the sputum.
Wife appears to Have tuberculosis; 4
Case No. 4. Husband, 43 years Of
age, in rather advanced stage of the
disease, but still able to walk. Wife
and five children, ranging in age from
Is to years. Apartment consists of
two bedrooms and a kitchen. Patient
insists that windows must be kept
| closed. Is extremely careless in re-
gard to expectoration. Wife, and boy
| aged 10, are in poor health.
The recital Of such conditions prove
as nothing else can, possibly, the ne
cesstty Of establishing procedure AMI
precautions" which shall guide the To-
cal physician and which shall secure
energetic and thorough going meas
ures within the homes of the consump-
tive poor. The range Of valuable sug-
gestion to the physician and the con-
structive work in the home that may
be secured under this section is indi-
Gated by some of the questions which
appear in the blank now in use by the
local health authorities in MARYLAND,
approved by the State Board of Health
under the provisions of a similar
statute. Among questions concerning
conditions which the physician must
answer, unless he prefers to turn the
matter over to the health authorities
are the following:
Home Conditions.
Are there infants or young children
in the house? If the patient is a
Does the patient habitually kiss other
persons on the mouth? Does the pa
tient use dishes, tableware, pipes,
clothing, handkerchiefs. or towels in
common with other persons? Does the
patient prepare the food of the family =?
Disposal Of Sputum.
Does the patient spit upon the
floor, walls, hearth or furniture? Does
patient spit into a spittoon used by
other persons? Does patient spit into
handkerchief? Does patient spit in
to paper napkin? Does patient spit
into a. paper sputum cup? Into a
china, glass, or metal sputum cup? Is
water or carbolic acid, or any disinfec-
tant used in the sputum cup?
Final Disposal Of Sputum.
Is the sputum burned? Is it thrown
into water closet or into a sewer?
Is it thrown upon the ground or into
surface drain or gutter? Is it thrown
away with garbage ashes, or other
refuse? Are patients handkerchiefs
put in wash with other clothing? Are
patients handkerchiefs disinfected
before being laundered?
Condition Of tho Room.
Is the room suitable in size, venti-
lation and lighting for a tuberculous
person? Are the hangings, floor COW
erings and furniture such as admit of
proper prophylaxis? How are the
walls finished Trough plaster, smooth
plaster, wainscoted, paper or painted p
Are the walls and furniture ever wiped
Off with disinfectant solution? Is
the room swept and busted in the or
binary way with broom and feather
duster?
Are the floors ever washed with a.
d1sinfectant? How many other per-
sons occupy the patients bedroom
Does any one share the patients beu?
Is the patients bedroom used as
Kitchen? AS a dining room? Do chill
dren play on the floor of the hedroorn 2