How Germs are Conveyed and Re=
ceived. — Germs may be carried from one
person to another, and received by that per-
son in different ways. They may be con-
veyed by actual contact, as in the case of
ringworm, er3^sipelas, ophthalmia (infectious
inflammation of the eyes), hydrophobia,
small-pox, etc. The germs may possibly
be taken in through the unbroken skin, but
much more frequently through a small crack
or sore in the skin. Secondly, they may
be conveyed by the air, and taken in by the
breath. This is by far the commonest
method, as seen in whooping-cough, scarla-
tina, small-pox, diphtheria, measles, con-
sumption, etc. Thirdly, they may be car-
ried by water, and so taken into the stomach
and intestines, as with cholera, typhoid
fever, dysenterj^ etc. Fourthly, by the
food, and taken to the stomach and intes-
tines as before, as with t3^phoid fever, con-
sumption, and foot-and-mouth disease (con-
veyed by milk). Fifthly, they may be car-
ried by clothes, and so get into the air, as
with scarlatina. They may also be carried
l)y insects, such as flies and mosquitoes, as
above stated. In some instances the method
of conveyance is mysterious, as in the
widely-prevalent influenza, whose history
has so far baffled research.
Why Children Should not be Purposely
Exposed to Infectious Fevers. — It is the
custom with some ignorant mothers to pur-
566
posely expose their children to mild cases
of fever, especially measles, chicken-pox,
and scarlatina, because they say the children
are certain to get them at some time or an-
other, and in this way they think their chil-
dren will have mild attacks v/hich will pro-
tect them in the future. Such a practice is
almost criminal, and should be absolutel}'-
condemned, and for the following reasons :
It is not certain that a child will have fever
at some time or another ; if proper precau-
tions were taken it would not have an in-
fectious disease. A mild attack in one per-
son is not always followed by a mild attack
in another, but may give rise to a very
serious one. One attack of fever does not
necessarily prevent a second attack of the
same fever at some future time. The death-
rate in children suffering from most fevers
(such as measles or scarlatina) is alwa3^s
greater than in adults. Finally, as a rule,
the older a child grows the less likely is it
to be attacked by a particular fever.
Disinfectants. — This word should only
be used to indicate some process or chemical
agent which will absolutely kill germs and
spores. It is, however, unfortunately ap-
plied to other classes, the antiseptics, which
will only stop the growth of the germs, but
will not kill them ; and the deodorants,
which merely remove disagreeable smells,
and often have no action whatever on the
germs themselves. It is obvious that we
must use a true disinfectant if we wish to
prevent the spread of disease.
Deodorants are such substances as the
vapors of turpentine, burning peat, or boil-
ing tar ; such liquids as Condy's fluid, or
various odorous fluids such as eucalyptus ;
and such solids as charcoal or camphor.
Most of these take away unpleasant smells,
but are otherwise useless.
Page 249
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
How Germs are Conveyed and Re= ceived. — Germs may be carried from one person to another, and received by that person in different ways. They may be conveyed by actual contact, as in the case of ringworm, er3^sipelas, ophthalmia (infectious inflammation of the eyes), hydrophobia, small-pox, etc. The germs may possibly be taken in through the unbroken skin, but much more frequently through a small crack or sore in the skin. Secondly, they may be conveyed by the air, and taken in by the breath. This is by far the commonest method, as seen in whooping-cough, scarlatina, small-pox, diphtheria, measles, consumption, etc. Thirdly, they may be carried by water, and so taken into the stomach and intestines, as with cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery etc. Fourthly, by the food, and taken to the stomach and intestines as before, as with t3^phoid fever, consumption, and foot-and-mouth disease (conveyed by milk). Fifthly, they may be carried by clothes, and so get into the air, as with scarlatina. They may also be carried by insects, such as flies and mosquitoes, as above stated. In some instances the method of conveyance is mysterious, as in the widely-prevalent influenza, whose history has so far baffled research.
Why Children Should not be Purposely Exposed to Infectious Fevers. — It is the custom with some ignorant mothers to pur-
posely expose their children to mild cases of fever, especially measles, chicken-pox, and scarlatina, because they say the children are certain to get them at some time or another, and in this way they think their children will have mild attacks which will protect them in the future. Such a practice is almost criminal, and should be absolutely condemned, and for the following reasons : It is not certain that a child will have fever at some time or another ; if proper precautions were taken it would not have an infectious disease. A mild attack in one person is not always followed by a mild attack in another, but may give rise to a very serious one. One attack of fever does not necessarily prevent a second attack of the same fever at some future time. The deathrate in children suffering from most fevers (such as measles or scarlatina) is always greater than in adults. Finally, as a rule, the older a child grows the less likely is it to be attacked by a particular fever.
Disinfectants. — This word should only be used to indicate some process or chemical agent which will absolutely kill germs and spores. It is, however, unfortunately applied to other classes, the antiseptics, which will only stop the growth of the germs, but will not kill them ; and the deodorants, which merely remove disagreeable smells, and often have no action whatever on the germs themselves. It is obvious that we must use a true disinfectant if we wish to prevent the spread of disease.
Deodorants are such substances as the vapors of turpentine, burning peat, or boiling tar ; such liquids as Condy's fluid, or various odorous fluids such as eucalyptus ; and such solids as charcoal or camphor. Most of these take away unpleasant smells, but are otherwise useless.