CHAPTER XII. 



DISEASES CAUSED BY UNKNOWN 

 MICRO-ORGANISMS 



UNDER this head come a number of diseases such 

 as scarlet fever, measles, German measles, smallpox, 

 and chicken-pox, which are often classed together 

 under the name of exanthemata, because they are all 

 characterized by skin eruptions and symptoms of gen- 

 eral infection. 



SCARLET FEVER. 



The infection almost always occurs from; direct 

 contact; entering the sickroom may be exposure 

 enough to cause the disease. Objects which the pa- 

 tient has touched will transmit the infection, such as 

 linen, clothing, furniture, and playthings. Physicians 

 and nurses sometimes carry the infection, although 

 they themselves may not be affected. Milk has been 

 known to> carry the infection and cause serious epi- 

 demics. The milk in such cases is infected at the dairy 

 by someone who has the disease. The infection may 

 be transmitted at any time during the disease, but 

 especially during the period of desquamation. 



In order to prevent it from spreading, the sick- 

 room in private homes should be as far away as pos- 

 sible from the room occupied by other members of the 

 family. Admission to the room should be denied to 

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