HSO ADVANCED PHYSIOLOGY 



as 2% carbolic acid solution, or a very weak (0.1%) solution 

 of corrosive sublimate. Some of the germ-laden dust from 

 clothing or bedding may have been breathed in, and an 

 antiseptic solution should be used as a mouth wash and 

 gargle, as well as nasal spray. 



As a rule, washes for the skin should never be used for 

 mouth or nasal disinf ection. 



Recently opinion has inclined to the belief that many 

 diseases are spread by the droplet method; e.g. when the 

 patient, or carrier of the disease germs, coughs, sneezes, or 

 even talks, he expels into the air minute droplets of the 

 mucuous fluids of the mouth or near-by breathing passages. 

 These droplets float about in the air and may be breathed in, 

 or fall on utensils or foods which may later be put into the 

 mouth, and thus the well person be infected by the bacteria 

 which are in these droplets. 



Any person who is ill, even with a cold, should never fail 

 to use a handkerchief over the nose and mouth when coughing 

 or sneezing and should never face toward a nearby person 

 when talking, laughing,singing, or the like. 



The period of time which usually elapses between infection 

 and the actual on-coming of the disease (called the incubation 

 period) varies much even with exposures to the same disease. 

 This is because the body is in better physiological condition 

 at one time than another, or, in other words, possesses more 

 resistance. Persons differ greatly in their susceptibility to 

 disease and some may even be immune while others are very 

 liable to a given disease. The following table is given to 

 indicate the time during which a person, knowing of his 

 exposure to some disease, should avoid close association with 

 others: 



Small-pox. 14 days 



Measles 10 " 



Scarlet fever 3 " 



Diphtheria 3 " 



