Collected essays in preventive medicine : infection & disinfection, temperature observations on children, the period of infection in epidemic diseases, and the renal signs of disorders of nutrition / by William Squire.

  • Squire William, 1826-1899.
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Collected essays in preventive medicine : infection & disinfection, temperature observations on children, the period of infection in epidemic diseases, and the renal signs of disorders of nutrition / by William Squire. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    a fortnight for their development, and two or three of them sometimes as long as three weeks. In some Diild cases of scarlet fever, we may have to wai't as long as this before we can be sure we have scarlet fever to deal with, that is, until desquamation removes all doubt as to the nature of the disease. Besides the danger of infection being carried by those only sickening for an infectious illness, there is the ready conveyance of it by what are called fomites to be guarded against; particles given off by the sick readily attach themselves to any surfaces they come into contact with, and may settle from the air of the sick room, even as it escapes into passages or other parts of the house, and so cling to clothing stored near, or be carried in the folds of the dress by those going to and fro. Without these means of conveyance infection, of the kind we are here dealing with, can travel but a short distance out of doors, and soon loses its dangerous powers when exposed to the action of fresh air and light; how this comes about is not clear,neitlier physical dilution, chemical change,or modified activity of the germ, will alone explain a fact that is, perhaps, more obvious in our crowded streets than in villages where sanitary surroundings are equally observed; country gossips often spread infec- tion ; while in London, where npct door neighbours hardly know each other, infection seldom passes from house to house, still more rarely across even a narrow street. An important rule, never to be neglected, follows : this is, while one member of a household is laid up with an infectious illness others of that family should not mix with parties of susceptible children, or be sent to school or to church. This rule should be observed during the progress of a doubtful illness. School managers cannot be too careful in this respect; in day schools when any child is absent from illness, inquiry should be made as to the nature of the ailment, and while the reply is not satisfactory other children from that home should stay away. Still more strictly should the return of a convalescent be guarded against until every precautionary measure has been fully completed; after scarlet fever and diphtheria six weeks must have passed and a certificate should be required from the health authorities that clothes and room have been disinfected. When a series of cases of this kind have occurred in any one school, the best plan is to close it for a time. In any village epidemic among children, school attendance should be suspended for tAvo months. A former word of advice as to scarlet fever may be quoted, not only important to the convalescents themselves, but which, if largely acted on, would further reduce the spread of the disease and relieve our health resorts from one of their greatest risks : Do not seek change of air too soon for scarlet fever convalescents ; they are better intlieir rooms for the first three weeks; they are not only safer in their homes, for the
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