THE SKIN 249 



thawed slowly, the water may resume its former relations 

 and the body activities continue as before. But if thawed 

 out rapidly, the water will not return to its normal condition, 

 and inflammation, together with the final destruction of the 

 frozen part, may follow. For this reason the treatment of 

 frostbites or frozen parts, should be such as to cause them 

 to thaw slowly. Rubbing frozen parts with snow or cold 

 water is usually recommended, for this will slowly thaw them 

 with the least danger of injury. The preservation of the 

 frozen member depends largely upon prompt action although 

 the thawing must be very gradual. The person should be 

 warmly wrapped and after normal activities have been resumed, 

 some sort of hot drink should be administered. 



Smallpox, Scarlet Fever, Measles. These three diseases, 

 although distinct, are all characterized by skin eruptions. 

 They are all contagious and all occur as epidemics, many cases 

 appearing in a community at once. The ease with which one 

 person takes them from another makes it necessary to isolate 

 the patients and to quarantine the house they occupy. The 

 cause of none of these diseases is positively known, although 

 they are doubtless due to germs of some sort. The only methods 

 of preventing them are by avoiding association with patients, 

 and, in the case of small-pox, by vaccination. 



Smallpox is the most serious of the three and, formerly pro- 

 duced frightful ravages. To-day it is largely controlled by 

 vaccination. It is probably distributed by particles discharged 

 through the skin. It is to be avoided by keeping away from 

 persons with the disease, and by vaccination (page 386). 



Scarlet fever and measles are also serious. The infectious 

 material is certainly contained in the sputum and the dis- 

 charges from the nose of the patient and perhaps in the particles 

 given off from his skin. To avoid these diseases we must shun 

 those sick with them, and remember that the infectious material 

 is dangerous whether moist or dry, and that it may be carried 

 upon toys or clothing. 



