Dysentery

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 106, 6 May 1941, Page 3

Dysentery

Dysentery is an acute infectious disease, characterised, by an acute onset, fever, psin and diarrhoea. The cause of the disease is the dysentery bacillus of which there are several varieties, the organism or germ gaining entrance to tho human being by the I mouth on food contaminated in various ways now to be described. Tho great source of infection for each and all of us is tho bowell discharges of infected persons, and it has to be remembered in particular that mild and walking cases as well as the more severe ones, who are naturally confined to bed, may be the spreaders, of infection to others. These mild and walking cases who are really very numerous during an epidemic make the control of the disease very difficult, as they neither come under the care of their/ medical practitioner nor the Health Department. These cases often continue in their usual occupations and are particularly dangerous when they are engaged in the handling of foodstuffs. The control of dysentery in the light of tho preceding facts resolves itself into certain specific and general measures. The specific measures include the isolation of cases without danger to others as long as they are in an infections condition. This can be done only in a hospital by skilled medical and nursing personneL Patients are isolated as long as dysentery bacilli are found in the excreta. The family contacts are kept under observation uy the Health Department, and advised of their possible danger to others and requested to consult their own medical practitioners if any suggestive symptoms occur; this is tv avoid the danger of the mild walking cases. Infected excreta should be disposed of in a sanitary manner, and articles which have been soiled required to be disinfected. General measures of control are as follow: — The use of drinking water which is above suspicion; doubtful waters should be boiled or chlorinated. Tho consumption of milk which is safe from iniection is also necessary and this can be easily attained either by scalding raw milk or by the use ol pasteurised milk. Prevention of the infection of foodstuffs, especially those w r hich are consumed in a raw or moist state, is also necessary. Food handlers are thus especially dangerous if they have not been careful in the washing of their hands, or if they include in their numbers mild and concealed cases. Thorough hand washing by everyone after the use of the lavatory is essential. Flies, owing to their disgusting habits of feeding oiten convey infection to foodstuff's, which should in consequence be protected as far as possible from flies at all times. Tho number of flies can be decreased by traps and by fly papers, and if their breeding places are discovered they can be controlled at the source. In this connection it is well to remember that flies breed on decaying vegetable matter and the common pile of grass clippings is often a favourite breeding ground. Human excreta should be disposed of in a sanitary manner. In towns with a water carriage system this is usually automatic. -Ln rural areas, however, conditions are not so favourable, and measures should be taken to prevent the access of flies to the ordinary priv) and for disposing of the contents belowground. The exercise of rigid precautions in known cases of bacillary dysentery is requisite but is inadequate as a safeguard against the ever present risk of infection from concealed sources. It' is hoped therefore that this brief description of the disease, and its methods of control ’wall encourage the mild and walking case to seek advice aud treatment as much for their own sakes as for that of their families aud contacts in daily life. The inspectors of the Health Department and local bodies are available for consultation by the public at any time and can advise on general prevention of disease by the exercise of sanitary precautions as required. During recent weeks in addition to seeing to infected families, they have endeavoured to get in contact with unknown cases and. have paid increasing

attention to the sanitation of food and drink premises. Infants arc particularly liable to infection. All milk for them should be boiled or pasteurised and scrupulous cleanliness observed with their feeding utensils. For the man or woman in the street there are two forms of protection: (1) Thorough -washing of hands after using the lavatory and particularly before meals. (2) The consumption only of food and drink which is above suspicion.