The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-08-05

Ii the mother Is. careful, when
one child has a contagious disease
she can prevent the other children
from getting it. BY being careful, ]
mean to carry out exactly the doc.
tors orders. If you are taking care
of your child, and have no trained
nurse to help you, you should not
neglect to carry out this outline of
antiseptic precautions, and quaran.
tine yourself and the patient from
the rest of the house.
AS soon as the disease is pro.
nounced contagious, remove from
the room unnecessary things of all
description, as later on some of the
articles should be burnt, and the
room fumigated. You should wear
cotton clothes or linen in the room,
so they can be boiled before using
again. Your head should be COW
cred with cap, to keep your hair
from collecting germs.
A sheet dipped into a weak solu-
ton of carbolic acid, one part of
acid to 80 parts of water. should be
tackled over the door, like cur
tain, and this should not be al.
lowed to dry thoroughly, but kept
damp. Have a bowl of antiseptic
solution and dip your hands in it,
each time after touching the pa.
iient or the bed, etc.
You can give orders from your
open door, but avoid mingling with
the rest of the family. and do not
go in other rooms of the house. II
Is well for every mother to know
the symptoms of the contagious
diseases that are most common
among children.
Diphtheria makes itself known
| by a feeling of general discomfort
and weakness, sore throat, but not
much fever. The temperature (ol
fever) is irregular. but seldom
rises above 1902 degrees. 1t lasts
a week or 10 days in ordinary
cases. The pulse beat is rapid, and
will be weak and irregular in Sc
we're cases. The throat is red anG
swollen, and by the end of the first
day, a pale gray membrane forms
and spreads rapidly, becoming
thicker and more opaque; If this
Is peeled off is leaves a bleeding
surface. On recovery, this mem
brane curls at the edges and comes
off in flakes.
| The treatment is to watch the
| pulse and prevent heart failure
| Spraying and washing out the
throat by irrigation Is the CHIEF
| thing, as this allays the inflamma
ton. The patient will not desire
nourishment, but you must insist
upon some being taken, to keep up
the patients strength. Some fluid
every two hours, is necessary. The
| doctor will give antitoxine, to both
the patient and the nurse.
Scarlet fever arrives suddenly
generally with CONFUSION; after
that, vomiting, sore throat, head
ache and fever. The eruption ap
pears in about 10 hours, at first
like red points on the neck, chest
and back, then spreads rapidly all
over the body, and the upper part
of the face. This lasts four or five
days, then fades, and few days
later the skin begins to peel off
which will continue for about three
weeks.
The period Of quarantine lasts 40
days. The tongue Is at first white
and coated, but in a DAY or two be
comes red and swollen. The fever
remains high for two or three days
then it falls slowly, lasting about
eight days longer. The room should
be well ventilated. but there should
be no draught on the patient
Avoid letting the patient catch
cold. To relieve the uncomfortable
pricking, apply vaseline all over
the body. Once day give warm
bath so as to open the pores of the
skin. Keep the mouth and throat
clean by spraying and constant at
tention. Notice every change in
detail and report the same to your
doctors. In nursing your patients
don't trust to your memory, but
put down on paper whatever you
wish to tell your doctor. Give milk
as usual, If the baby will take 1t.
Measles makes it's appearance by
the child being fretful and fever.
ish, sneezing, cough and thin
discharge from the nose, also vom.
iting. The eruption appears on the
fourth day, and lasts about five