Those attending cases should wear gowns, closely fitting at neck and wrists, and rubber gloves. Better than a gown would be “unionalls,” with stocking extremities to go over the shoes. The typhus case should be deloused with the greatest thoroughness, and his clothing sterilized.
For ridding the body of lice, the following steps are essential:
1. The hair of the body and head should be clipped.
2. The subject should be bathed, there being used freely kerosene-emulsion soap, prepared by boiling 1 part of soap in 4 parts of water, and then adding 2 parts of kerosene oil. The resultant jelly, when mixed with 4 parts of water, makes a liquid soap that is convenient to use and which may be applied effectively.
3. Following the bath, the body may be anointed with kerosene, special care being devoted to the hairy parts. Skin irritation may, however, require early removal of the oil.
4. It has been found that lice on clothing removed from the body may remain alive nine days and their eggs as long as forty days. The clothing therefore should be disinfected by one of the following methods:
(a) Steam; (b) boiling for five minutes; (c) 5% compound cresol solution for 30 minutes; (d) chemicals such as cyanide or chlorpicrin.
5. In the absence of facilities for carrying out the steps described, or to prevent infestation subsequently, dusting powders are sometimes used. Of these the N.C.I. powder, containing commercial naphthalene, 96 Gms., creosote, 2 cc., and iodoform, 2 Gms., is the most widely known; but Moore’s powder—creosote, 1 cc.; sulphur, 0.5 Gm., and talc, 20 Gms.—is less irritating and is said to be six times as effective. It has also been recommended to wring out the underclothes in 5% compound cresol solution, then drying thoroughly, or to impregnate them with substances such as the halogenated phenols.
Treatment.—There is no disease in which careful nursing is so important. This applies especially to the care of the mouth. It is very necessary to maintain the recumbent position.
A mouth wash of equal parts of boric acid solution, glycerine and lemon juice should be used to swab out the mouth several times daily. Constipation should be controlled by enemata.