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other suspicious cases of phthisis were referred to hospitals and
dispensaries.
This is one of the most important purposes of visitation, to
enquire after missed and unrecognised cases. These patients,
unless captured early, are possessed of infinite possibilities of
spreading phthisis.
Disinfection and Preventive Measures.—The room,
bedding, kitchen, and feeding utensils, towel, handkerchiefs and
linen were disinfected in 176, or 41 per cent, of the households.
In 147 affected homes the responsible head of the family
refused any disinfection whatever ; in 2 cases only the bedding
was disinfected ; in 2 other homes only the rooms were allowed
to be disinfected.
In every case it is urged that the room, the bedding, sheets,
pillow-slips, curtains, valances, towels, handkerchiefs, feeding
utensils, knives, forks, spoons, cups, plates, saucers, clothe3 for
wearing week-day, and Sunday clothes, should all be disinfected.
The feeding utensils used by the patient are boiled for ten
minutes in boiling water containing a little washing soda. The
water must be boiling before the utensils are placed in it.
After disinfection, it is advised that the room should be well
scrubbed out with soap and water.
Twenty patients took no special precautions whatever to
prevent the infection spreading to the rest of the family, and
were apparently indifferent as to whether this occurred or not.
One father, a consumptive, insisted upon his children drinking
tea out of the same vessels that he did himself, alleging that
the disease was not infectious, and that he meant to prove it in
this way.
Five patients thought that by using a spittoon they were doing
all that could be reasonably expected of them—they refused to
put themselves to any further trouble.