CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 305 



tion from infecting other people. For this reason, all 

 the precautions mentioned on pages 297 and 298 

 should be taken. (What were they?) Especially 

 should patients be careful to keep their mouths 

 covered while coughing, so that particles of phlegm 

 may not fly off into the air or the faces of attend- 

 ants. Persons having consumption should sleep alone. 

 Men consumptives should be smooth shaven, since it 

 is difficult to disinfect either beard or mustache. 

 Neither should those ill with this disease kiss or be 

 kissed. If possible, the windows and doors of a patient's 

 house should be well screened to prevent flies from 

 spreading the germs. 



That the bacilli of consumption may infect others 

 may be judged from the fact that twenty-four deaths 

 from this disease in one house and one hundred two in 

 one block have been traced to the same source. Some 

 years ago, after one member of a family had died from 

 consumption, others, and occasionally all, followed. 

 With due care taken to destroy bacilli, it has frequently 

 happened in recent years that but one member of a 

 family has been affected. 



The great decrease in the number of cases of consump- 

 tion in regions where particular care has been taken 

 to teach people how to prevent its spread is another 

 strong proof of the wisdom of those precautions. 

 The United States census of 1900 shows that in the 

 region where registration is compulsory, the death rate 

 from consumption was one-hundred eighty-seven per 



