The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-12-17
CANTAGIoUs IMpETIGo

Every autumn some kind of breaking out ap- pears on the skin of several children and adults
 m Tn i, q {, certain group or neighborhood. Doctors contagious? Should persons who have 1t be in school or at work or fin their usual contact with well persons. in business or social life !? In the first place. the authorities on skin
 disease know little about 1t. The name impetlgo merely signifies an attack. Perhaps the char
 acteristic iesons of impetigo may De caused by different factors in different cases or cpidem- ics.
 | The commonest form occurs as you describe
 and is quite contagious Any child with such an | acute eruption the skin. somewhat resem- bling chickcn-pox or in some instances sug- gesting ringworm. should be isolated. So should any adult. In the case of q school nurse or | teacher should exclude any such suspicious ail- ment, at least until Il responsible physician | passes judgment. In business and social life, | you have to rely on your own judgment; in ciew of the shocking lack of conscience on tho part of the average ignorant ayman Cor the iayman who pretends to be ignorant) it Is wise | to err on the side of squeamishness, in sheer self defense.
 Tn characteristic lesions of impetigo appear
 first as veseles iittle blisters), which later be- come pustuiar. or they arc already pustules when first noticed. There is usually consider able itching present.
 | In the course of several days the spots be- come covered with bro~nish crust. The crusts dry nD and fall off tp q week or longer, leaving
 red stain. which gradually disappears in an. other week.
 The crusts of impetigo are larger than the
 spots of chicken-pok and occur in patches, while the spots of chcken-pox are moro evenly
 distributed over the skin. Impetgo crusts look | as though they are stuck on" tho skin. They
 never leave mark or scar after healing. but
 chicken-pox lesions sometimes leave pits. The inquisitiye fingers of the patient
 spread the disease. from place to place on his
 or her own skin, and to the skin of any other person who happens to come in close contact. | In children the natural impulse to scratch the itchy or ir.eated spot must be watched In | older girls or boys the anxious handling of the | skin must be warned against.
 Of all treatments or remedies for impetigo contaEiosa ammoniated mercury ointment | seems the most satisfactory. Each spot should be kept covered with bit of the ointment,
 gently rubbed In with one finger tip the finger | tip being very thoroughly scrubbed with hot water and soap for disnfection Immediately | after applying the ointment. Twenty grains
 petroIatum or cold cream is the right strength
 Of ointment.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | Drinking Water Does the drinking of four or five glasses of
 water day send the blood pressure up? Also | Answer--NO to both questions advise you
 to think only Of health and the enjoyment of l life and never mind your blood pressure. The
 blood pressure is . .patter to be left to the
 physieian's consderation.
 Does asafoetida do the system any harm2 2 | What good does 1t do the system? Some say l it s good nerve medicine and have been
 told 1t keeps the body free From germs eMrs l Answer--If 1t were odorless 1t would have | little rcpute as medicine. The ancients deemed | 1t sedatlye anti-spasInodc and carminatiye and
 lcal females Fetid mastic or chewing material, Don't be siIiy--germs do not mind the odor at all. AsafOetida is harmless, to the system or the body or what have you.