Measles | Page 4

as the cause of measles. We do, however, know that the infection of measles is found in the secretions from the nose and throat during the first stages of the disease; therefore persons suffering with measles should not be allowed to come in contact with well persons until the period of fever has well passed.
Since the disease is known to be spread by the sputum, the prime measure in the prevention of this disease is to prevent the sputum from the sick being taken into the system of well persons. Children with measles should be provided with a quantity of soft paper napkins, and as soon as the napkins become soiled they should be burned. Children should be taught that they must always hold a handkerchief in front of the mouth while coughing. This is a measure which tends to control the spread of a good many diseases besides measles, because during coughing and sneezing sputum may be thrown several feet. Everything which has come in contact with measles patients should be sterilized before it is allowed to come in contact with other people or other things which may be handled or used by other people. Bedclothes, napkins, table linen, towels, and the like may be sterilized by boiling.
When it is known that measles exists in a community, no child having a bad cough should be allowed to come in contact with other children during the first three or four days of the cough.
It is little less than criminal to permit children known to have measles to come in contact with well children. In this connection it may be remarked that while it is generally considered that one attack of measles confers immunity, there are many cases on record of second and third attacks. It is true that the second attacks are usually very mild, but too great reliance should not be placed on this immunity.
Children should be discouraged as far as possible from playing games which will permit of an interchange of nasal or mouth secretions. It is the duty of every parent having measles in the home to see to it that it is reported to the public-health authorities. It is equally the duty of parents to see to it that their children do not come in contact with well children during the time when the infection may be transmitted. Measles kills more people in the United States every year than smallpox. You can't kill a child any deader with smallpox than you can with measles. It is the duty of private citizens and municipalities to take every known measure for the prevention of the spread of this disease.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEASLES***

CREDIT
S
November 29, 2006
Project Gutenberg Edition Bryan Ness Joshua Hutchinson Online Distributed Proofreading Team

A WORD FROM PROJECT GUTENBERG
This file should be named 19965-8.txt or 19965-8.zip.
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/9/6/19965/
Updated editions will replace the previous one -- the old editions will be renamed.
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg{~TRADE MARK SIGN~} electronic works to protect the Project Gutenberg{~TRADE MARK SIGN~} concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given away -- you may do practically anything with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
Please read this before you distribute or use this work.
To protect the Project Gutenberg{~TRADE MARK SIGN~} mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg{~TRADE MARK SIGN~} License (available with this file or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license).
Section 1.
General Terms of Use & Redistributing Project Gutenberg{~TRADE MARK SIGN~} electronic works
1.A.
By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg{~TRADE MARK SIGN~} electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of