Instructions on procedure in outbreaks of cholera.

  • Egypt. Wizārat al-Dākhilīyah
Date:
1918
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Instructions on procedure in outbreaks of cholera. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    od 7. When a negative result is returned and the symptoms or cireum- stances are very suspicious, a second specimen should be taken. If this is returned as negative, no further action is necessary. If in such cases the patient is dead by the time the result of the original specimen is received, specimens should be taken from the immediate contacts after purging. Observation of all contacts should be main- tained for the full period of ten days. THE TAKING OF SPECIMENS. The early discovery of cholera will depend largely on the intelligent taking of specimens. Medical Officers must never neglect to take a specimen in every case in which there is any suspicion at all either from the point of view of the symptoms or of the general circumstances. It is essential that every Medical Officer should understand the technique. He should never lose sight of four facts :— (1) That the specimen is never under any circumstances to be taken from the vomit but always from the stool. (2) That no time should be lost between taking the specimen and despatching it to the laboratory, as the vibrio tends to die out quickly. Therefore, when the specimen is to be sent by train, it must be taken ag short a time as possible before the train starts. (3) That where the specimen will take more than three hours to reach the laboratory, no effort is to be spared to obtain ice, either at the place of collection or en route to the laboratory. (4) That if the specimen is taken by means of a swab tube, the swab must arrive at the laboratory moist. The instructions to moisten the swab before use in clean boiled and cooled water and to cork the tube tightly after taking the specimen must never be neglected. Drying kills the vibrio at once. There are two methods of taking specimens :— (1) In_ bottles. (a) By prepared bottles in boxes. (6) By improvised bottles. . (2) By swab tubes. |