THE GENERAL PROBLEM OF KEEPING WELL 405 



lets, to get into the oysters that grow in. bays and harbors 

 near seaboard cities ; but they are most frequently intro- 

 duced into the body through the drinking of impure water. 



Diphtheria, also known as " membranous croup," is 

 caused by germs that attack the membranes of the throat. 

 This most dangerous of children's diseases is spread chiefly 

 by discharges from the mouth and throat These should 

 be collected on cloths and burned, or rendered harmless 

 with disinfectants. The disease may be spread also by 

 objects brought into contact with the mouth, such as cups, 

 toys, pencils, etc. Children are known to have diph- 

 theria germs in the mouth for some time after recovering 

 from the disease, and should, for this reason, be kept away 

 from other children until pronounced safe by the physician. 



The antitoxin metJiod of treating diphtheria has robbed 

 this disease of much of its terror, yet it not infrequently 

 happens that the physician is called too late to administer 

 this remedy to the best advantage. Since certain cases of 

 diphtheria are likely to be mistaken for croup, the parent 

 frequently does not realize the serious condition of the 

 child. A croupy cough that lasts through the day, or a 

 sore throat which shows small white patches, are indica- 

 tions of diphtheria. 



Scarlet Fever, Measles, Chicken Pox, and Smallpox, on 

 account of the eruptions of the skin which attend them, 

 are classed as eruptive diseases. As the eruptions heal, 

 scales separate from the skin, and these are supposed to be 

 the chief means of spreading the germs. Attention must 

 be given to the destruction of these scales by burning or 

 thoroughly disinfecting all objects, such as clothing, bed- 

 ding, etc., that may serve as carriers of them. Those having 

 eruptive diseases should be confined to their rooms as long 

 as the scales continue to separate from the body. 



