The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-08-03

ent epidemic must be left to the
city, State and Federal Health au-
thorities. These organizations
will properly quarantine and care
for affected persons, prescribe
sanitary measures and limit as
may be necessary the travel OF Iii
dividuals in order to protect
neighboring districts from the IN
lection. individuals and com
munities, however, can do much
toward their own protection.
Poliomyelitis is probably spread
directly or Indirectly through the
medium of infective secret!onS.
Account must therefore be taken
by communities of every means
by which such secretions are dis
seminated PromiscouS expec-
toration should be controlled. The
common drinking cup affords a
method for the interchange OF ma
terial if this nature and should be
abolished. Rigid cleanliness OF
glasses and utensils at soda toun-
tains, in saloons and other public
places should be enforced. Flies,
reaches and other vermin, by com
ing into contact with infective Sc
cretions, may possibly convey
them to our food and thus direct
ly bring about the development of
disease Therefore eliminate in
sects. Street and house dust bear
a definite relation to the spread Of
many infections and it is not I'M
reasonable to presume that these
may be factor in the dissemina-
ton Of infantile paralysis. Main
tain strict cleanliness of streets,
yards and allys in order TO pre-
vent the breeding of insects and
other vermin. See that all garbage
and waste are properly cared for
and collected at regular and fire.
quent intervals. Guard all food
supplies, especially milk and 9TH
err perishable products. Diges-
tive troubles of children arising
from the ingestion of food of ques-
tionable quality may lower resis-
lance. Assemblies of children in
infected localities are to be dis
couraged, if not actually forbid
den. While the above measures
are in sense general, and appli-
cable to many epidemic diseases,
their Importance should not be
overlooked.
Individual preventative meas
ures may thus be summarized.
Summon a physician at once
and Immediately notify the
health officer Of the presence of
the disease. If the disease is pres
ent in the community, medical aid
should be sought whenever child
is sick no matter how light the i'll
ness; many cases of infantile par
alysis begin with a slight indispo-
sition. Should the illness prove to
be infantile paralysis isolate the
patient, place competent person
in charge, and reduce all commun-
ication with the sick room to a
Hospitablc care is pref
cradle, not only for the child but
in order to better safeguard a.
gainst the spread of the disease.
The sick room should be well VEN
tillated and screened. Nasal and
mouth secretions should be rcceiv-
ed in cloths placed in a paper bag,
and burned. The clothing of the
child, the bed linen, and the ex-
cretions should be disinfected in
the same manner as for typhoid
fever, that is by boiling, the long
continued application of 6 per
cent carbolic, or other well recog-
nized disinfectant. The same is
true for dishes and drinking ves-
sells. Nurses should exercise the
same precaution as regards clean
illness of hands in caring for in
fantile paralysis patients as for
those afflicted with other infect
ious diseases.
A child may convey the disease
to others even after lapse of
several weeks. For this reason
quarantine should be maintained
for a considerable period, usually
from civ IN niCht uoolye o,J A.