Variola, vaccination, varicella, cholera, erysipelas, whooping cough, hay fever / by H. Immermann [and others] ; edited with additions by John W. Moore ; authorized translation from the German, under the editorial supervision of Alfred Stengel.

Immermann, H.

Date:: 1902

Credit: Variola, vaccination, varicella, cholera, erysipelas, whooping cough, hay fever / by H. Immermann [and others] ; edited with additions by John W. Moore ; authorized translation from the German, under the editorial supervision of Alfred Stengel. Source: Wellcome Collection.

134/730 (page 124)

$number of years formed an integral part of the sanitary police regula- tions for the prevention of smallpox. In those (oi’dinarv) hospitals which are planned in the modern style of separate wings or pavilions, or which may be newly planned, the establishment of an isolation department with separate rooms for smallpox patients and smallpox suspects presents no noteworthy difficulties. The isolation wings should, however, be distinguished from the other wings of the general hospital by their isolated situation, and should be at least 100 meters distant from their nearest neighbors. For the hospi- tals built in the older style (monumental building with the corridor .system), the requirement is, on the other hand, indispensable that the isolation wards shall, under no circumstances, be in the main building of the hospital, not even in a remote corner of the same, but they must always be in a separate building at least 100 meters distant from the main building. On account of the great volatility of the contagium of smallpox, the {)0ssibility of its transportation through the open air even for this distance (which also must be regarded as minimal) apparently cannot be excluded with absolute certainty. So much the more objec- tionable would it be to admit smallpox patients into the main build- ing under one and the same roof with other patients. For the special isolation hos])ital, the pavilion or barracks sy.stem is the only one that is suitable ; for this alone makes it possible to furnish to the sick-room the air whicli is so essential to the well-being of the variola patient (compare later, under Treatment). But, in addition to this, the barracks system is to be recommended from an economic stand- point, because of the relative cheapness of the material which is prefera- bly used in its construction (wood). That, besides the Avards for the un- doubted smallpox cases, special wards for the observation of suspected cases must be erected within the precincts of the isolation hospital may be repeated here ; another and eminently important point may, hoAV- CAmr, be added : It is certainly an extraordinarily urgent sanitary desid- eratum, and one Avhich should be insisted upon in the interests of the public, that, in case of a smallpox epidemic, every case of smallpox shall be compelled to enter hospital; for this purpose, proper arrange- ments should be made in the isolation hospital to meet the social claims of all conditions, those in better circumstances, as well as the very ])Oor. Besides the general lai’ger Avards Avhich contain a large number of beds, there should be, at the disposal and for the use of those Avho desire them, smaller rooms, with perhaps tAVO beds in each, and also single rooms, in Avhich AA^ealthy patients may be lodged according to their wishes. For only in this AAmy can we succeed, and we do in this Avay really sue-$