388.  Care of Infectious and Contagious Diseases.  There are certain diseases which are known to be infectious and can be communicated from one person to another, either by direct contact, through the medium of the atmosphere, or otherwise.

Of the more prevalent infectious and contagious diseases are scarlet fever, diphtheria, erysipelas, measles, and typhoid fever.

Considerations of health demand that a person suffering from any one of these diseases should be thoroughly isolated from all other members of the family.  All that has been stated in regard to general nursing in previous sections of this chapter, applies, of course, to nursing infectious and contagious diseases.  In addition to these certain special directions must be always kept in mind.

Upon the nurse, or the person having the immediate charge of the patient, rests the responsibility of preventing the spread of infectious diseases.  The importance must be fully understood of carrying out in every detail the measures calculated to check the spread or compass the destruction of the germs of disease.

389.  Hints on Nursing Infectious and Contagious Diseases.  Strip the room of superfluous rugs, carpets, furniture, etc.  Isolate two rooms, if possible, and have these, if convenient, at the top of the house.  Tack sheets, wet in some proper disinfectant, to the outer frame of the sick-room door.  Boil these sheets every third day.  In case of diseases to which young folks are very susceptible, send the children away, if possible, to other houses where there are no children.

Most scrupulous care should be taken in regard to cleanliness and neatness in every detail.  Old pieces of linen, cheese-cloth, paper napkins, should be used wherever convenient or necessary and then at once burnt.  All soiled clothing that cannot well be burnt should be put to soak at once in disinfectants, and afterward boiled apart from the family wash.  Dishes and all utensils should be kept scrupulously clean by frequent boiling.  For the bed and person old and worn articles of clothing that can be destroyed should be worn so far as possible.

During convalescence, or when ready to leave isolation, the patient should be thoroughly bathed in water properly disinfected, the hair and nails especially being carefully treated.

Many details of the after treatment depend upon the special disease, as the rubbing of the body with carbolized vaseline after scarlet fever, the care of the eyes after measles, and other particulars of which space does not admit mention here.

Poisons and Their Antidotes.

390.  Poisons.  A poison is a substance which, if taken into the system in sufficient amounts, will cause serious trouble or death.  For convenience poisons may be divided into two classes, irritants and narcotics.

The effects of irritant poisons are evident immediately after being taken.  They burn and corrode the skin or membrane or other parts with which they come in contact.  There are burning pains in the mouth, throat, stomach, and abdomen, with nausea and vomiting.  A certain amount of faintness and shock is also present.