Graham guardian., 1912-11-29
EXERCISE MORE CARE
Measures Against the Spread
of Trachoma Among
Children

On account of the prevalence O.
trachoma among children in thu
valley and'its cOntagi BUSINESS, ant
knowing that nearly every Indiar
child on the reservation either is OF
has been afflicted with it, we per
suaded DR.. J. S. Perkins, physician
and school superintendent at the
Rice Indian school, to give US a paper
on the treatment of the diseass
DR.. Perkins paper follows:
In order to prevent the spread OF
trachoma, especially in schools, the
following regulations should be
faithfully observed.
/. Use of Running Water. Run
ming water should be used for bath.
ing purposes wherever possible
For bathing the face and hands
water running from a faucet OF
perforated pipe is especially com
mended. In boarding school shower
baths should always be given the
preference of tubs for general bath,
ing. The so-called ring bath. which
consists of half circle Of perforated
pipe which stands above the waist
line of the child, is sanitary in every
way. A hot water heater and tank
with a mixer will afford water at
the right temperature.
2. Individual Towels. Children
should be provided with individual
towels and their use carefully su-
pervised to pervent use by others
than those to whom assigned. If
laundry facilities permit, the Pull
man system, in which towel about
the size of a pocket handkerchief is
used once and then laundered. is es.
pecially recommended. In the ab-
sence of ample laundry facilities, a
system should be adopted providing
that each towel should hang apart
from all others and from the wall. the
individual towel being plainly mark
ed with the child's name. In schools,
such as the ordinary district or city
school, absorbent paper, rolled and
placed in proper container, affords
an admirable substitute for towels.
3. Fumigation and Disinfection.
ALI school books. pencils, pens,
and other articles handled in COM
mon by children in the school room
should be frequently disinfected
with formaldehyde as follows: Pens
and pencils should be wiped off with
a solution of formaldehyde in water
two per cent and books set up on
end, opened, and fumigated as fol-
lows: The room should be tight and
one quart of formaldehyde poured
quickly on one pound of Potassium
Permanganate for every 1000 cubic
feet of space. the fumigation to last
at least twelve hours.
4. Separate Desks. - Trachoma-
tous children should be assigned, as
far as possible, to desks not used by
normal children, and those having
trachoma should be assigned certain
rows of desks at the left or right
side of the room, The desks should
be cleaned at least once week with
two per cent formaldehyde in water.
Quarantine of Acute Cases.
children having trachoma in the
acute stage and during such times
as there may be active inflammation
purulent discharge from the eye,
should be placed under treatment
in quarantine, and should not be
permitted to mingle with others
until dismissed from quarantine by
a physician. During this stage of
active inflammation .trachoma is
most contagious.
Inspection of all Children's Eyes
by Physicians. Frequent examina-
tions of eyes of all school children
should be made by a competent
physician, and he should keep the
school authorities advised in regard
to the prevalence of the disease.
All cases found should be recorded
and persistently treated until cured.
Teachers should report all cases of
eye trouble. Lectures on prophylaxis
should be delivered to all children
of sufficient age to comprehend
them.
7. Separate beds and bedding
In boarding schools or institutions
Of like character, every child should
occupy bed to himself, should
retain the same bedding and blankets
when once assigned. No bedding,
blankets. or clothing used by one
child should be assigned to another
until thoroughly fumigated by for
or sterilized by steam or
boiling water. All clothing that
will permit Of it without injury
'hould be boiled in process of laun-
1ering.