Fig. 40. How diseases are frequently transmitted to children.
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.
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.
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.
How excreta from the sick should be treated