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22
Measles is a highly infectious disease, even in the early
stages, and several days before the appearance of the rash,
so that, whenever MEASLES is about, a child who
shows symptoms of being poorly and feverish (or shivering),
with running at the eyes or nose, sneezing and coughing,
as though suffering from a cold, should at once be kept
from school, and as far as practicable from associating with
other children for a few days. If the child is sickening for
Measles, the rash, which is generally raised and red or
purplish in colour, will appear during that time.
MEASLES is also infectious after the rash is gone, and
children convalescent from this disease should not be
allowed to return to school or mix with other
children until at least three weeks after the
disappearance of the rash in the last patient
affected in a household.
The treatment required in MEASLES is to keep the
patient isolated in a warm room with plenty of fresh air, and
in bed until the rash has disappeared; and, above all things,
to avoid draughts, as the after-consequences of Measles
arising from chill or exposure are most serious, and may
kill or cripple for life.
A medical practitioner, if not already in attendance,
should be called in at once whenever the slightest difficulty
of breathing is observed, as any neglect in promptly
attending to lung or other complications may be followed
by death.
All handkerchiefs, clothes, beds, towels, plates, cups,
spoons, etc., used by the patient, are highly infectious, and
must be disinfected (by washing or otherwise) as early as
possible after the patient is convalescent and the sick room
or house thoroughly cleansed and aired; whilst disinfectants
in a dilute form should be freely used during the course of
the disease, both in the infected room and in the water used
for bathing and washing.
Disinfection of rooms, bedding, and clothes will be
carried out by the Officers of the Vestry, free of cost, on
application to the Medical Officer of Health, at the Health
Department, 333, Kennington Road, S.E., where disinfectants
are also to be gratuitously obtained.