CHAPTER XIII. 



COMMUNICABLE DISEASES WITH SUGGESTIONS ON PRE- 

 VENTIVE MEDICINE. 



The pharmacist should be prepared to assist the physician and the 

 health authorities in the enforcement of the sanitary rules and regulations. 

 To this end he should be informed as regards the source of the more im- 

 portant contagious and infectious diseases and the causes of epidemics and 

 the means available to prevent or to combat such conditions. This does not 

 mean that the pharmacist must have a full knowledge of the pathology 





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Fig. 76. — Bacillus botulinus. This bacillus causes botulism, a form of meat poisoning. 

 There are numerous cases of poisoning resulting from eating infected meats. It should be 

 kept in mind, however, that meat may not be decomposed and may be without bacilli and 

 yet ptomaines may be present. Therefore absence of bacilli and of bad odor does not prove 

 that the meat is wholesome. Meat from animals recently killed, which has been well 

 cared for and which is without bad odor and shows no bacilli, is in all probability whole- 

 some. Ham, canned meats, cold storage meats, etc., may have taken up toxins from 

 contaminated meats, thus being made unfit for consumption even though no bacteria are 

 found. 



and therapeutics of disease. He should have at least a general knowledge 

 of the causes of disease in order that he may assist in applying the means 

 for preventing disease. It is not within the province of the pharmacist to 

 cure disease, but he should be a potent factor in preventive medicine. 



A contagious disease is one which is readily communicable, from one 

 person or animal to another, either through direct contact or very close 

 proximity. An infectious disease is communicable through a considerable 



