The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-23
PRECAUTIONS BY
HEALTH OFFICER
Efforts to Prevent Develop
ment of Spanish Infiu-
enza Here
STATE BOARD OF
HEALTH ALSO ACTS
Influenza Itself Not Serious, but Com
plications frequently Are, Such as
Bronchial and Lobar Pneumonia and
Nephritis.

Nephritis.
Health Officer Henry Tucker, in CO.
operation with the state board of
health, is taking precautions against
the development of Spanish influenza
in Brattleboro, although he hasn t much
doubt that the disease will be intro
dueed here sooner or later. Already
there are several eases in Vernon
DR.. Tucker has asked Miss Florence
NJ. WeIlman, superintendent of schools,
to instruct the teachers to exclude any
pupils who cough and sneeze or have
watery eyes, until they can be exam
ined, and has asked Miss Mary Loomis
the school nurse, to do likewise and re-
port to him any suspicious eases.
Instructions have been sent by See
retary c. F. Dalton of the state board
Of health to the health officers through
out the state covering the subject of
Spanish influenza. These instructions
are as follows:
Present Indications are that within
4 y ~ oAEhSs anu IfVoSiDlN Il lew NdN y.
Vermont viii be visited by an epidemic
of the so-called Spanish influenza. Al
ready there are many cases at some of
our seaports and the disease will grad
ually invade the interior states
The apparent seriousness of this dis
ease makes it necessary that some pre-
cautions be taken to limit its spread.
The disease is not essentially different
from the influenza or grippe which we
have been familiar with for good
many years Git is called "Spanish be-
cause the present pandemic began in
Spalns the same germ causes this dis
ease: il is present in the secretions of
the nose, throat and air passages: it
is given off III the act of coughing.
sneezing and talking by droplet in
feetion. They symptoms are fever, chills,
head and joint pains and catarrhal dis.
charges from the nose, throat and eyes
| These symptoms last about three DAYS
The disease itself is not serious. The
complications frequently are Hence
the disease should not be sighted The
| patient should 90 to bed at once and
| call his physician. The complications
are bronchial pneumonia, occasionally
lohar pneumonia and nephritis These
| Of course, are serious.
The disease is hereby declared to h,
a contagious and infectious disease, un
der Section 6203, General Laws. In ac
| cordanee with said section, the follow
| ing rules and regulations are promul
gated;
"Infuenza is hereby added to th,
list of diseases to be reported by ply
sicians. Every physician shall prompt
| ly report each case attended or pre-
| scribed for by him to the local healtl
officer The health officer shall visi
and plaeard the home premises of TIL
patient.
All persons should understand tha
this is a contagious disease and tha
the patient should be isolated in tn
home and especially from all visitor
and neighbors. Handkerchiefs, mar
/ kins and towels used by the ease ma
, indirectly cause the disease. 1t is quit
! possible that healthy persons may bC
! come carriers. Children in families j
which there are eases should not atten
G | echooi; and no one from such familie
5 | should attend public gatherings, esp,
e elally picture shows, or other indoe
e entertainments. Rational observanc
e of these precautions may do much /
limit the spread of this disease an
d consequent effects.
/. Health officers will promptly repol
all eases to the state board of healt
as these reports must be forwarded
Washington at the earliest possib
= moment. Per order of the state boar
OF health. Charles F. Dalton, secretar
Burlington, Vt, Sept. 21, .191s.