THE SCARLET FEVER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 162, 16 March 1871, Page 5

THE SCARLET FEVER.

| (To the Editor) j Sir, — As there is now no doubt that ] scarlatina is hovering around our borders, , and that mild cases have occurred ii our j midst, I think it no less than my duty to i throw out some hints that, may tend to sf:>y tiie ravages of this disease. At present, there is but a mild form of scarlatina amongst us, but the type of this fever soon becomes developed into a higher one — thus, a mild form in one case, may, by contagion, become a very severe one in the next. I have no wish to frighten fathers and mothers of the neighbourhood, but I have seen that so much carelessness exists as to any precautionary measures behij, taken, that I think it my du f y to call their attention to several points that may have the effect to curb, if not eradicate the frightful scourge. Several letters have appeared in tho different periodicals to the same effect, but they seem always to be more adapted to the inhabitants of a township than of a goldrields neighbourhood like our own. In these directions we are told that a nurse is to be specially employed to look after _ die patient in ;t separate room, &c. This is evidently inapplicable on the goldfields ; 1 therefore would give such instructions only a3 can be of use to the majority of our fellow creaturps, who around us live in one or two rooms, and these so intimately connected as to cUbar the.n from tho really excellent suggestion thrown out and applicable to a different mode of life, than thah which prevails hero. Perhaps the chief thing a mother should do is to know whether a child has scarlatina. For her behoof 1 quote Dr. Churchill :—" The earliest symptoms which manifest themsilvds, are general uneasiness, lassitude, depression, aching in the back and limbs, rigors, loss of appetite, -and thirst. Soon afterwards, stiffness andpain in the thrt >at, occasionaliy nawi and vomiting, ahv ais pain iii the loins, headache, and drowsiness." If these symptoms appear, especially if a rash appears, the throat becomes swolbn [ should advise that means be taken to abate the fever and isolate the patient. Let no parent s-iy to himself, or herself, " Oh, if the child is to have scarlatina, it will have it, whatever I do." This is so stupid that it noed3 no refutation. It reminds one only of the Mahometan's Kismeh It is an insult alike to God and to scienco. Lot us suppose that a child living iv a hut such as our diggers' families live in, of two (,r three rooms, and showing some of the symptoms as described ; let that child be as completely isolated as possible; let; the hangings around the bed b-i saturated with a weak solution of carbolic acid, and till intercourse between that house and others be tabooed. Kind friends and neighbours say, " Oh, poor Mrs. and So has three children down with the fever - let us see, can we not do something to help her ?" This is one fruitful course of spreading scarlet fever without really doing any good. Again, a child is recovering from scarlet fever ; the old skin is peeling off, and the mother cougratuktes herself that her child is better, •"■he calls in her neighbours, and kills the fatted calf, " For this my child which j was dead is alive." Fatal mistake ! The very old skin in countless infinitesimal doses of poison is flooting through the air, settling on madam's cap or mistress' coat, and carrying surely scarlet fever home. After the eruption and all symptoms seem to the parents past, the child should be held in quarantine at least a fortnight. There is nothing, again, bo liable to spread scarlet fever as the clothes of persons suffering from that disease ; in all cases, if not destroyed, all bedclothes, &c, should be subjected to boiling heat at lea3t.

As many of your readers may be una'v.ire of the properties of carbolic acid, and as several have asked me what is the best disinfectant and destroyer of the scarlatina virus, I should recommend carbolic acid in the proportions I have left with the chemists in the township 1 should recommend that all rooms in which children are suffering from scarlatina should be sprinkled several times daily with this solution ; and in fact this cheap prophylactic might easily supersede the use of camphor, of which I hear several ladies have been laying in a stock.Let me tell them it is a perfectly useless material. Finally, as I am told I can never write a letter without a quotation, " Venienti occurnte morbo." — I am, &c, E. llat.lsy.