ENCOURAGEMENT OF DISEASE BY UNCLEANLY HABITS
We shall not try to learn here all the ways by which it is possible
to destroy the germs of disease as they come from sick people.
But there are certain rules (we sometimes call them fundamental
principles) that you must know, if you hope to keep well and to
prevent others from getting sick.
[Illustration: FIG. 40. How diseases are frequently transmitted to
children.]
[Sidenote: Why we should stay away from the sickroom]
The first of these rules is: _Do not go into the room where any one
is sick unless it is absolutely necessary_. No one but the nurse
should sleep in the room with a sick person. We know that certain
diseases are communicable (catching), but it has not yet been
determined whether some others are communicable or not. It has not
been proved, for instance, that we cannot catch rheumatism from
another person. Only a few years ago it was believed that one could
not take consumption from another person, but now we know that this
is the very way to get it. Therefore, stay away from sick people
as much as possible. It is not good for the patient to have people
around him, and it is dangerous for the well to come in contact
with the sick.
[Sidenote: Not using things used by the sick]
The second rule is: _Do not use anything used by a sick person
until it has been washed_. This is a good rule to apply to things
used by a well person also. It is neither safe nor pleasant to eat
from the spoon or fork, or to use the napkin or towel which has
been used by someone else.
Sometimes children think the food prepared for a sick person is
ever so much nicer than that set before themselves, and wish they
could have a little of it. How often have we seen a sick mother
give her little ones "a taste" from the spoon with which she is
eating. This is very dangerous, and if she knew it, the mother
would cut her hand off before exposing her children to this danger.
[Sidenote: Reason for scalding things used by the sick]
Third: _Everything taken from a sickroom should be boiled before
it is used again_. The knives, forks, and plates should not be put
with other dishes until after they have been separately washed and
boiled. Towels, napkins, bedding, and clothing from a sickroom
should not be washed with other bedding and clothing, but should be
washed and boiled separately. Some people send out the clothes from
the sickroom with the rest of their washing, and in this way give
disease to others.
[Sidenote: How excreta from the sick should be treated]
Fourth: _All discharges (sputum, urine, bowel discharges, and
matter from sores) from any sick person should be thoroughly
disinfected before being finally disposed of_. The sputum should be
received on little rags or paper napkins, and burned; and the other
discharges should be disinfected with some poison that will kill
the germs. We shall say more about disinfection when we come to
study the prevention of special diseases.
[Sidenote: Necessity of washing the hands after touching the sick]
Fifth: _Every person who touches a sick person, or handles anything
that comes from a sickroom, should immediately wash his hands_.
Unless he washes his hands at once, the germs which may be on them
may get into his mouth.
[Sidenote: How dirt causes disease]
Sixth: _Dirt, which is an indirect cause of disease, must not be
allowed to accumulate_. If your yard were full of dirt, garbage,
and manure, it would not cause disease unless the germs of some
disease became planted there. But such a place is an indirect cause
of disease, in that it furnishes a fine place for germs to grow in.
If a fly with typhoid germs on its feet were to alight in such a
yard, the germs would be planted in a most favorable spot and would
grow very fast.
[Illustration: FIG. 41. A place that is an indirect cause of
disease, since it furnishes a fine place for germs to grow in.]
None of the disease germs like sunshine; neither do they like
dry places. They die very quickly in the sunlight, and grow very
slowly, if at all, in dry places; but in damp, dark places they
grow very fast. Dirty back yards make ideal gardens for germs.
Let a fly with germs on its feet alight in a clean yard where
sunshine can reach every corner, and what chance will the germs
have to grow? They will not even get a start. Hence, while disease
cannot be caused by dirt, disease germs stand a very good chance of
living where there is plenty of dirt and no sunshine. Filthy habits
are on an equality with filthy conditions, and go hand in hand with
them. One of the worst of habits, and a cause of much sickness, is
that of answering Nature's calls in places other than the closet.
=Questions.= 1. Why should you never make unnecessary visits
to a sick person? 2. Why should you avoid anything used by a
sick person? 3. Why should everything taken from a sickroom be
scalded? 4. What should be done with all discharges from a sick
person? 5. How is dirt a source of disease?
=Remember.= 1. Unless it is necessary, do not go into a room
where anyone is sick. 2. Never sleep in a room with a sick
person. 3. Never eat from a spoon or plate that has been used by
another. 4. Boil all the articles taken from the room of a sick
person. 5. Always wash your hands after touching a sick person or
anything that comes from his room. 6. Sunshine kills germs; let
the sunshine into every corner of your house.