The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-11-13
PREVENTION OF SCARLET FEVER.
U. S. Public Health Service Gives Some
Facts About Disease.

The great increase in the number oil
cases of scarlet fever which always ac
companies the opening of the schools in
the fall has caused the United States
public health service to issue at this
time bulletin on this serious disease
OF childhood.
While the way in which scarlet fever
| is spread and its prevention are well
known TO health officers and physicians,
the general public usually neglects TO
! take those precautions which would d.
minish and prevent this disease so fatal
to young children.
The contagion of scarlet fever is spread
principally from the discharges of the
nose and throat, and the acts responsible
for the transmission of the disease from
the sick to the well, are those which are
common in our everyday life, particular
~ among children; namely, kissing, the
use of the common drinking cup and
common towel, placing in the mouth
articles such as lead pencils, candy, APP
plies, and the like, which have been pre-
viously placed in the mouth or infected
with the nose and throat discharges of
persons suffering from scarlet fever, OF
by being sprayed with such discharges in
the act of being ''coughed at" or "sneezed
at"
We possess no specific remedies against
scarlet fever. The disease, once con-
traeted, must run its course. The chief
efforts for its control, therefore, must be
directed towards = prevention. The
most important means for preventing
scarlet fever consist first, in the early
recognition Of the cases as they occur,
and second, In a thorough isolation OF
those who are sick. The important
thing TO remember is that child, sick
with scarlet fever who is thoroughly iso-
lated, does not transmit the disease.
This isolation must be carried out for
a minimum period of six weeks or long
er il the mucous membranes Of the nose
snd throat are not thoroughly healed by
that time. safe and thorough isolation |
in the home, however, is rather difficult |
TO accomplish and IL usually impossible |
in oyer-crowded city districts.
Our chief reliance. therefore, for pub /
lie control of scarlet fever lies first IN /
the provision for adequate contagious
disease hospitals, where all the meas.
afFH fpA AAtt tN9AhAtDu OF tcATteG FEVER
nan be properly carried out; second. in
The prompt reporting by physicians Of
scarlet fever cases third, in providing a
sufficient number Of inspectors and vis-
ting nurses in health departments for
he purpose Of visiting the homes where
SCARLET fever cases occur and seeing that
proper sanitary precautions IN regard 10
ISOLATION are observed; and fourth. ads-
Iuate systems Of medical supervision Of
'clsoOl children; the abolition Of the con-
mon drinking cup. the common towel
he common slate and lead pencil il all u
mr. schools. While the habit Of putting
.hings In the mouth il instinctivr IN
hildren, parents should early teach their
ihiltrsn that the only thinFs that prop
riy belong in The mouth are food and
rink. The danger Of such practices a.
4 puttinR pencils. cOins and the Ike In
b. mouth, exchanging bites Of RANDY
md apples among children. Hna similar
'rnctices should - unr Uf the first fsa-
ures 81 tn childs eduestion. 4