The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-10-31
HEALTH TALKS.
By the County Health Officer

dlpntnerla Is occurring ana spread
ing. largely due to indifference and
carelessness. 1t is well-known that
diphtheria can be prevented by
proper measures. The State Board
of Health Regulations for the pre-
vention of diphtheria are as follows:
1. Any child who contracts
diphteria shall be excluded from
school until the disease is cured and
the child ceases to be Carrier
This means that two swabs must be
obtained by the physician in attend
ance forty-eight hours apart and the
tests made from these swabs must
be negative before the child shall be
permitted to return to school. No
throat wash or antiseptic should be
used during the interval between
taking of the swabs.
2. The other children of the
family in which diphtheria occurs
are not permitted to attend school
until the child who has the disease
is pronounced cured and the throat
free of diphtheria germs as shown
by microscopic examinations made
from swabs taken forty-eight hours
apart. 1t should be noted that
children of the family who do not
have diphtheria must also have their
thrOats tested. In other words,
children of the family must have
their throats tested and shown to be
negative before being allowed to re-
turn to school, ct is needless to
state that this final test should be
made of all the children at the same
time. Only one test is required of
the children in family who do not
contract the disease or become car
riers.)
3. The diphtheria carrier shall
not be permitted to attend school
until the throat is shown to be free
of diphtheria germs by obtaining
two swabs, 4S hours apart for mi
croscopic tests. The other children
of the family in which there is
diphtheria carrier should also be
kept at home and as soon as the
throat of the diphtheria carrier is
free of organisms one test should be
made of the other children in the
family and if negative should be
permitted to return to school.
1t is very easy for the child in the
family where the disease occurs to
become a Carrier" and not have
the disease. These carriers spread
the disease just as readily as those
who have it. 1t is therefore, essen
tial to- take precautions relative to
all members of the family where the
disease occurs.
In referring to schoolin the above
regulations it is also just as neces-
sary for parents and the health Off
Ger to prohibit children from at
tending Sunday school and public
gatherings where diphtheria occurs
in the family. OF course, these
children can play out doors and
have freedom around the home, but
they should not mingle with other
children. 1t should be kept in
mind that catching" diphtheria
depends largely upon direct con-
tact.
In order to prevent the spread of
diphtheria in the school, or commu-
nifty it is imperative that the city
officials, school board, teachers,
parents and physicians cooperate
in observing the regulations for the
prevention and spread of the dis
ease. There is too much danger at
tached to diphtheria for people to be
indifferent and careless towards its
spread.
Diphtheria. tonsillitis. whooping
cough. pneumonia and other respi- |
ratory diseases are spread by care
less habits such as sneezing or
in ones face, putting pen
ellis in the mouth, fingers in mouth
using the common drinking cup.
II all people would be careful about
and sneezing in the right |
way, that is by using a handker-
chief oyer the mouth and nose,
turning the head so that the parti- |
cles of secretions from the mouth |
and nose are not thrown in the face
of the person. these diseases would
he lovoolv nroyopfod Rospiraforv