In a private home (M. D. P., _American Journal of Nursing_) if
contagion has taken the family by surprise and a room has not been
especially prepared, leave in the room all the furniture and fittings
in order that everything may be disinfected finally.
During the progress of the disease no blankets, coverings, etc., must
ever be shaken from the windows. They can only be aired within the
room, or rooms, occupied by the patient. Moist sheets hung outside
the door leading to the rest of the house prevent the passage of dust
from the sick-room. It is sufficient to keep them sprinkled with plain
water, as the important thing is the moisture. However, a solution
of carbolic acid may be used. They should be kept wet by some one on
the clean side of the house. Soiled linen from the sick-room should
be placed in a wash-boiler or metal can full of water, never taken to
the laundry in a dry condition. Here also a weak solution of carbolic
acid maybe used, or a very weak solution of soda. However, plain water
will be sufficient. They should be boiled for at least half an hour.
Patients’ dishes and silver should be kept in the room, and before
returning to the house should be boiled.
All cleaning within the patient’s room during illness should be done
with moist cloths, which should be put into paper bags and burnt.
Upon leaving the room the patient should receive an unusually thorough
bath, hair and all, with tincture of green soap, a dilute alcohol rub,
and finally a sponge-bath of bichlorid of mercury, 1: 2000 to 1: 4000,
according to age.
The mode of disinfecting rooms is, generally, to use formaldehyd.
Before setting free formaldehyd in any form the nurse should put on
rubber gloves, glasses, and a thick mouth and nose protector, as
the fumes are very irritating. After leaving the room she should
seal up the door and leave all over night, and then thoroughly air
and house-clean on the morrow. Mattresses and pillows had better be
steam-sterilized if there is any sterilizing plant in the town, or, in
the country, made over and sunned thoroughly.