OTHER DISEASES CAUSED BY BACTERIA 307 



Scarlet Fever. Scarlet fever must be considered serious even if 

 the patient recovers, because it is liable to cause permanent injury 

 to the ear, heart and kidneys. 



Sources. Scarlet fever germs are given off by the skin, and by 

 discharges of the kidneys and bowels. Since the germs are in the 

 secretions of the throat, mouth, and nose, the patient will throw them 

 into the air with the tiny drops of moisture when he talks, sneezes 

 or coughs. Letters written from the home may carry the malady. 

 Scarlet fever germs may remain alive for months and even years, 

 if protected from air and light. Paper, clothing, letters, bedding, 

 etc., if put away without disinfecting, may be a source of scarlet fever. 

 The milk supply has frequently caused epidemics of scarlet fever. 



Projecto Write American Medical Association for information on Scarlet 

 Fever. 



Tetanus. The tetanus bacillus is found in the soil. The dust 

 in the streets, the dirt in our gardens and yards, and particularly the 

 soil around stables contains this germ. It affects horse and man 

 chiefly, entering the body through even very slight wounds. The 

 tetanus germ by itself cannot develop if exposed to the air, but, 

 in combination with other germs, it will grow in an open wound. 



Wounds caused by anything that has been in contact with the 

 soil, as a sickle, are most likely to develop tetanus; and small but 

 deep wounds, like those caused by rusty nails, make good breeding 

 places for the germ. 



Ptomaine Poisoning. Bacteria throw off waste matter in sub- 

 stances in which they live. Sometimes this material is very poison- 

 ous to human beings. Ptomaine poisoning is a disease caused by 

 eating fruit, beef, fish and other things in wh.ch bacteria have lived 

 and thrown off this poisonous material. 



Blood Poisoning (Septicaemia). Blood poisoning is brought 

 about by certain classes of bacteria which are present about us 

 everywhere. They may be found in dirt under our nails, in clothing, 

 and on utensils which may be used about the home. Wherever there 

 is dirt the bacteria of blood poisoning are usually present. They are 

 found in food; but people taking such bacteria into the system 

 do not suffer from blood poisoning, since there are in the stomach, 



