THE FAMILY DOCTOR.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 337, 23 May 1885, Page 6

THE FAMILY DOCTOR.

HOW TO MANAGE A CASE OF SCAR-

LET FEVER

Scarlet fever is spread by contagion — by the transfer of particles of living matter from a person suffering from the disease. These particles of living matter come from the skin, fiom the membrane lining of the mouth, nose, and throat, and perhaps also from the intestines and urinary organs, It is a disease which it is specially desirable to prevent the occurence of in young children, partly because the susceptibility to its cause diminishes greatly with increase in age, and partly because it is much less dangerous in adults. There is reason to question the wisdom of using costly and troublesome methods of preventing the spread of measles, because the susceptibility to the cause of this disease remains in adult life, and it is, if anything, more liable to result in dangerous lung complications in advanced age than it is in chiidren; but there can be no doubt as to the wisdom of restricting the spread of scarlet fever as much as possible. The precautions to be taken when a case occurs in a house are in many respects the same as for a case of diptheria — viz.,. to isolate the patient in an airy room having the least possible amount of furniture. The room should have no carpets or curtains, and no upholstered furniture, such as lounges, sofas stuffed chairs, &c. All the secretions and excretions, and all articles soiled by them, should be disinfected thoroughly and promptly while they are yet moist. A special and important precaution is to keep the whole surface of the body thoroughly anointed with some bland fatty matter, such as camphorated oil or vaseline, and especial care should h° taken to do this when convalescence has set in and the peeling off of the skin has commenced. All toys, books, &c, handled by the child are dangerous, and had best be destroyed in the room by fire, or by putting them into a vessel containing a strong solution of bichloride of mercury or of chloride of ziuc. No jjlothing, bedding, towels, or other woven stuffs should be taken from the ro®m while dry; they should be placed in a tub or washboiler containing scalding hot water and thoroughly boiled before they are allowed to dry. When the peeling of the skin has entirely ceased, the patient should be thoroughly bathed — using warm soap and water —be dressed in entirely fresh clothing, and the room and its contents should be thoroughly disinfected. The average period during which complete isolation of the patient is required, and during which, he should not go out of his room or receive any visitors, is five weeks. Usually, six weeks will be required to secure absolute freedom from clanger.

The walls and ceiling of the rooms should be rubbed witlidairipfcloths, whidh should be at once burned or boiled. The floor and all woodwork should be thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water. • . - , •

The windows, fire-place, - doors, and all other outlets of the room should be tightlyclosed, and sulphur be burned in the room in the proportion of lib "of sulphur to each thousand cubic feet — that is," if the room is 15ft ' square ana . lift high, about 2£lb or 31b of roll-brimstone will be required. Put the brimstone in an iron kettle, and place the kettle on a tray of sand Bin .hick, or on a platform of bricks ; pour a wineglass of alcohol on the brimstone and set fire to it, leaving the room immediately, as the fumes are dangerous. Let the room remain tightly closed for twentyfour hours, then open "all windows and the fire-place, and let the fresh air circulate in it for from twenty -four to forty-eight hours.