COMMON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 
poison in the same way from the sick to the 
well. Prevention is only possible by destroying 
the mosquitoes. 
Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis is caused by the 
diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis. It is 
not communicated from the sick to the well in 
the same manner in which most communicable 
diseases are, and the germs are not found in the 
excretions unless there are lesions formed either 
of the brain or spinal cord. The exact method 
by which the germs enter and leave the struc¬ 
ture has not been fully decided upon by scien¬ 
tists, but nurses are instructed that it is safest to 
disinfect all discharges from the body, all per¬ 
sonal clothing and bed linen; also to fumigate 
the room at the close of the case. 
The seat of invasion in cerebro-spinal menin¬ 
gitis is in the membranes which cover and enclose 
t:ic brain and spinal cord. The germs set up an 
inflammation of these membranes, which are 
known as the meninges, but the poison is also 
distributed to other parts of the body. Inflam¬ 
mation of the meninges is a characteristic symp¬ 
tom by which the disease is made manifest. 
Sometimes only a small portion is afifected, at 
other times the greater part of the cerebral sur¬ 
faces are involved. This is one of the very few 
diseases in which the nurse is told that lack of 
strict personal cleanliness, so far as the patient 
is concerned, must sometimes be permitted be¬ 
cause of the necessity for absolute rest and free¬ 
dom from all movement. 
About one-half of the number of cases of cere¬ 
bro-spinal meningitis end in death, and about 
tnree-fourths of its victims are children under 
59 
The Germ a 
Diplococcus. 
Seat of 
Attack. 
