COMMON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 



ticularly if their surroundings and occupations 

 are unhealthy. Those who have to work in 

 dusty, overheated, badly ventilated rooms, for 

 example. Insufficient or poor food is given as 

 another cause favoring the development of the 

 disease. When one of these causes, or several 

 of them, weaken the structure, power of re- 

 sistance is lessened, and when the germs gain 

 an entrance we fall an easy prey to the ravages 

 of the disease, if they are not sought after and 

 driven out at an early stage. 



The duties of the nurse when caring for a 

 tubercular patient are to thoroughly disinfect Early 

 all sputa, cleanse and disinfect all sputa cups, Precautions, 

 and to destroy by fire all dres!sings used on 

 tubercular wounds. Many physicians demand 

 that sputa be burned also, and special sputa 

 cups are now in use with a detachable water- 

 proof lining made of a sort of pasteboard. 

 These linings are put up in packages which 

 come with each sputa cup. They are easily 

 slipped in and out and are changed several 

 times a day. They are burned immediately on 

 removal from the cup. Bed and personal 

 clothing (particularly handkerchiefs) must be 

 treated to a bath of boiling water or well 

 soaked in a good disinfectant solution before 

 placing in the general wash. Boil all dishes and 

 vessels used for feeding and other purposes in a 

 2 % sal soda solution at least once daily for ten 

 91 



