1893-1894 - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

188 APPENDIX.
for the disinfection of typhoid fever dcjeda—how they can be made
harmless. Section 21.*
I wish to say that no more instruction is needed than to follow the
regulations issued by the Secretary of the Board. They are complete,
comprehensive and concise, and do him great credit.*
To these let me add that if the persons in charge of a typhoid fever
case cannot get the disinfectants prescribed in these instructions at once
they will go a long way towards securing safety if they will see that the
dejecta from these
patients are promptly and freely covered with boiling
water before they are emptied and that all soiled clothing is treated in a
like manner before it comes out of the sick-room, to be again washed in
boiling water afterwards.
The history of every epidemic of diphtheria will, I believe, show a
thoughtless disregard of just such instructions as those issued by Dr.
Lewis, the Secretary of the Board. They are not difficult to understand
or necessarily the outcome of knowledge possessed only by physicians.
Thinking people will easily .see, after a moment's reflection, that cdl
communication with a house, in any manner, where diphtheria prevails
must endanger their lives and probably lead to the spread of the disease.
The same is true of scarlet fever, and the ease with which the germs
of the disease are transported makes it the m.ore necessary to observe
the precautions set out for its prevention. The quarantine of these two
diseases may be fairly considered together, as they very often occur at
the same time in the same patient, and as the measures are practically
identical. We have said that the morbific germs are eas}"- of transportation
and transference. This makes it necessary to in.sist upon the isolation
of the patient and the nurses and the preparation of the sick-rooms
for this quarantine. All clothing that cannot be retained permanently
in the room and may be destroyed afterwards, or that cannot be boiled
and treated with the disinfectants already noted, should be moved out
immediately after the attack is declared. If any of the clothing has
been in contact with the patient it can only with safety be taken out
under boiling water and must be boiled for an hour afterwards in one of
the solutions noted in the instructions.
Woolen goods, if possible, ought to be steamed. Certainly they can be
subjected to fumigation with sulphur fumes. Leather and rubl^er goods
may be freely washed in a five per cent, solution of carbolic acid. Carpets
should be removed if possible, or, if retained, should be burned
after the patient is released. Safety has been insured, to my knowledge,
by sweeping a cai-pet thoroughly with a broom kept wet with the bichloride
of mercury solution. Don't allow any of your neighbors to come
*See Act in Relation to the Board of Health and the Instructions for Quarantine and
Disinfection incorporated in the Annual Report of the .Secretary of the Board to the
Conjoint Se.ssion at Raleigh.