RELAPSING FEVER 2OI 



blood-sucking parasites, to see that the houses of the 

 poor are kept free from dry dust, which harbours such 

 parasites. Should outbreaks occur the patients should 

 be isolated, and the clothing, bedding, furniture and 

 dwellings of the patients and their associates should be 

 disinfected. In the disinfection of furniture and dwellings, 

 it is important to ensure that the disinfectant penetrates 

 all cracks and crevices and destroys the insects and other 

 parasites and their larvae which harbour in such places. 

 Infected native huts should be burnt when it is possible. 



Before a patient is admitted to the wards of a hospital 

 his person and clothes should be freed from external 

 parasites. In view of the possible transmission of infec- 

 tion otherwise than by external parasites, it is wise not 

 to admit relapsing fever patients to the general ward of 

 a hospital, and though active spirochaetes have not been 

 discovered in any of the secretions or excretions, it is 

 wise to adopt the same precautions in dealing with them 

 as in the case of other infective diseases. 



It is important to keep the patient either in hospital or 

 under observation for at least fourteen days after the 

 cessation of fever. This is in order to avoid any danger 

 of his again becoming a source of infection should a 

 relapse occur. 



