White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-18
UP-TO-DATE DISTINCTION.

The ewes disinfection-the de-
struction of disease germs in the
homes of sufferers-has come about
through knowledge gained the last
half century as to how such infec-
tons as yellow fever, typhoid. NAL
aria. measles, tuberculosis and the
like are transmitted to mankind. As
everybody now knows. yellow fever
is transmitted only by Steogmyia,
malaria only by anopheles; the body
louise transmits typhus; such dis
ease are not caught" by fomites
goods and fabrics that may happen
to contain the GERM as was formerly
supposed. Cholera and typhoid fever
are not contracted through miasms:
but solely by swallowing the essen
tiaI germs of those diseases in food
and drink thus contaminated. Diph-
iberia is probably not communicable
through the air; but by direct con
tact with the sick. as in kissing; or
by contact of ones nasal passages OF
throat with the diphtheria germs as
contained in the handkerchiefs, dish
es and the like used by patients. The
safes place in the world as &c diph-
iberia is the properly conducted, well
sired ward of a diphtheria hospital.
Hospital doctors, nurses, and others,
careful in their additions, are in on
slant attendance the year round on
diphtheria, scarlet fever and measie
patients. without contracting those
diseases or being in any fear of them.
The surest place not to contract con-
sumption is a we'll managed tuber-
culosis sanatorium.
transmitted through the "peeling"
or the skin eruptions in those dis
eases. And measles is infectious any
way only during the first several days
of the disease, generally before 1t is
recognized. and from the germ-laden
discharge from the noses and Threats
of sufferers.
Facts of this kind have led to more
rational public health measures.
Certainly distinction destroys germs
or renders them i%nnocuous; but most
germs cannot in any event retain
their vitality and their capacity for
mischief for any lenght of time after
leaving the patients body. And as a
matter of fact. the best disinfectants
ever invented are pure air and u
shine. A sick room well ventilated
after the termination of a case; the
bedding. carpets, rugs, and so on ex-
posed to the blessed sunshine; plenty
of soap and water for scrubbing up.
These factors will. for most infec-
tious diseases, be all the disinfection
necessary.
Thus, in accordance with the mod
ern conception Of infection spread,
the Metropolitan Board of Health.
in 1913 abandoned fumigation dds
infection by gases generated from
sulphur, formaldehyde and the like)
after diphtheria cases; but removed
the bedding I o it's d~isinfection plant.
Fumigation of the apartment was
done only when the patient died or
was removed to a hospital during the
sidered possible that in such cases
fresh discharges containing living
germs might be present in the sick
room. Measles was similarly handled
except that the household goods
we're not removed for disinfection
after death or recovery. In scarlet
fever d~isinfection was done after re-
covery, death or removal; and the in
fected bedding was disinfected. In
June. 1914, however. the department
discontinued dis~infection, by reason
of the practical absence of danger
from patients effected, after cases of
diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles
cerebrospinal meningitis and pole
myelitis. And with the beginning of
the present year it was determined
to discontinue fumigation altogether
in all the boroughs of the Greater
New York, except Brooklyn; and this
in order for comparisons to be made
and for a demonstration that discon-
%tinuance of the practice of fumiga-
ton will work no harm of any kind.
- Scientific American.