by which infection finds its way from one mouth to another 

 are almost without number. The common drinking cup 

 and the direct discharge of mouth spray in coughing or 

 sneezing furnish two obvious modes of infection. A hun- 

 dred times a day fingers and other things that are not bac- 

 teriologically clean go to the mouth or nose, and to one who 

 considers the possibilities the wonder is, not that we contract 

 diseases, but rather that we so often fail to do so. 



The only reliable defense against contact disease is the 

 cultivation of habits of personal cleanliness that will keep 

 everything but food and the toothbrush away from the 

 mouth, and that will make the thorough washing of the hands 

 before handling food an absolute and inevitable routine. 



In all communicable diseases, but particularly in those 



which are spread by contact, it is important T . . f 



to surround all known infected persons with _ . ,, 



, „ Communicable 



special precautions, so as to reduce as tar _. 



as possible the danger of the spread of 



disease germs from them. For this reason the reporting of 



communicable diseases to the health authorities is required 



by law, and boards of health maintain special laboratories 



to assist in the early diagnosis of suspicious cases of disease. 



When the infected person is found he must be isolated or 



cared for under such conditions that family and friends will 



not be endangered; and if this cannot be done at home, he 



must be removed to an isolation hospital. 



In isolation emphasis is laid particularly upon limiting 



direct contact with the patient to the nurse or person in 



immediate charge, upon the prompt disinfection of body 



discharges and clothing, bedding, etc., soiled with discharges, 



and upon the disinfection of objects which leave the sick 



room, and particularly of the hands of the attendant. If 



such precautions are not conscientiously observed during the 



course of the disease, fumigation at its close will be of little 



use, since susceptible persons in the house will already have 



been infected. If isolation has been thorough, terminal fumi- 



35 



