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ii
Unless strict personal hygiene is practised, and particularly
washing after use of toilet, any food handler thus
infected can infect food and spread the disease to many other
people. A whole household can be infected by the housewife,
should she herself be a victim of the disease or gets
her hands contaminated with the dysentery germs, if she
prepares the family meals without first taking the simple
precaution of a thorough hand washing.
Prevention.
The spread of this disease can, to a large degree, be
prevented by following simple rules of Hygiene.
1. Personal Hygiene.
This is most important, especially hygiene of the
hands.
Nails should be kept short, and the hands well washed
with soap and nail brush, followed by a liberal rinsing
under tap, after every visit to the toilet, and also after
exposure to contamination in other ways, such as handling
individuals and articles which are, or may be, infected.
Hands should always be washed before handling food
or food utensils.
It is important that facilities for the above should be
adequate in every house, and in places outside the home,
such as restaurants and public conveniences.
Special attention is necessary to children who may be
unable themselves to carry out this washing routine.
2. Evironmental Hygiene.
Mop down after use with a weak solution of disinfectant
(white fluid) the W.C. Seat, the handle of flushing cistern
and door knob.
Chamber pots used by small children should be carefully
cleansed and disinfected with a solution of not more
than two teaspoonsful of 'black fluid' to one pint of water.
The chamber pot should be wiped round with a damp cloth
before use in order to remove any adherent disinfectant.
Infants suffering from diarrhoea or dysentery should
have frequent changes of napkins. Care should be taken
in changing soiled napkins not to contaminate clothing.
After removal, nappies should be steeped in 'white fluid'
(not more than two teaspoonsful to one pint of water) for
one hour before boiling.