The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1913-01-10

should be airy, but it should be dark
ened, because children with measles
are very sensitive to light. The bed
clothes should be light, because the
child is apt to get too warm, kick of
the covers and suffer from the cold
A chilling in this way may predispose
to pneumonia. Food should be light
and should consist chiefly of nutritious
broths, pasteurized milk, soft-boiled
eggs and the like. Iced lemonade will
bring comfort to the infiamed throat.
The child's eyes should be kept clean,
and should the fever get high the com
fort of the little sufferer may be in
creased by sponging with tepid water
and alcohol. Sometimes it is necessary
to put an ice-bag to the head, but if
skilled assistance should be summoned
| When the fever and cough have gone
! the child may be allowed to be up and
about the room, but for a time should
not indulge in violent exercise, because
there is often weakening of the heart
muscles by the disease. The aim is
to allow the heart muscles to regain
their normal condition before putting
too much of a strain upon them. The
diet should be increased when the fever
has gone away, and should include
good, plain, strong foods. If there is a
tendency to regain weight and strength
slowly the child may be given an in
creased amount of pasteurized cream
or good butter. If the child prefers
cod liver oil this may be substituted.
The important point about the pre-
yention of the disease is the fact that,
judging from the experiments of An
derson and Goldberger above referred
to, measles is not transmissible after
the fever has gone down. Expert
menting with monkeys, they found that |
they were unable to transmit measles
l.
of fever had ceased 1t used to be |
thought that the germs of measles |
were in the. scales. of skin that were
shed at the close Of the disease.
1t is thought by some that there
might be chronic carriers of measles, |
but this is not at all proven 1t is also
believed that discharging ear follow
ing measles may be the means of con-
tinuing the transmission of the disease.
This is not proven. There are on rec
ord large numbers of instances which
seem to point to the fact that under
certain conditions a third person may
carry the infection from the sick to
the well. Transmission of measles to
human beings by the lower animals is
still unproven. {
1t is not known what the cause of
measles is. A great many scientists :
nave described germs which they be-
ieved to be the causal agents, but up #
% date these have not been positively ,
proven as the cause of measles We
10, however, know that the infection
If measles is found in the secretions
irst stages of the disease. Therefore,
persons suffering from measles should
lot be allowed to come in contact with
veil persons until the period of fever
S well passed.
Since the disease is known to be .
pread by the sputum, the prime mea
ure in the prevention of this disease
5 to prevent the sputum of the sick
eing taken into the system of we'll
ersons. Children with measles should
e provided with a quantity of soft
aper napkins, and as soon as the nap
ms become soiled they should be
urned Children should be taught
hat they must always hold a handker
lief in front of the mouth while cough
lg. This is measure which tends
} control the spread of a great many
isease besides measles, because dur
lg coughing and sneezing sputum may
e thrown several feet. Everything
hich has come in contact with mea-
es patients should be sterilized be-
IRE it is allowed to come in contact
18th other people or other things
hich may be handled or used by other
sople.
When it is known that measles exist
community, no child having
I'd cough should be allowed to come
contact with other children during
e first three or four days of the
ugh. +.