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2
Precautions to be observed in cases of
Infectious Disease.
On the occurrence in a household of a case of Infectious
Disease, the patient must first be isolated from all other members
of the household. If the patient is to be removed to the Isolation
Hospital, he or she should be kept in the room which was occupied
at the commencement of the illness until removed in the Hospital
Ambulance, and until then none but the person in charge should
be permitted to enter the room. If the patient is to be isolated at
home, this should be done in a well-lighted and ventilated room at
the top of the house. If the patient does not occupy this room
at the commencement of the illness, it should, previously to being
occupied, be prepared by removing all bed hangings, curtains
carpets, or other articles likely to retain infection. If, on the other
hand, it is decided to isolate the patient in the room which he
occupies, nothing should be removed from the room until after the
illness is over, when everything in it will be disinfected by the
Officers of the Council. Similarly, where a patient is removed to
Hospital, nothing should be removed from the room until it has
been disinfected. In a word, no articles whatever which have been
exposed to infection must be used, removed or put away until
they have been disinfected. Breach of this rule is a penal offence,
and may have the effect of stultifying all other efforts at stopping
the spread of infection.
ISOLATION AT HOME.
The room in which the patient is isolated must be as far away
as possible from any room occupied as a living or sleeping room.
A sheet kept wet by means of disinfectant solution should be hung
outside the door. The attendant upon the patient should have a
clean washable wrapper, fitting tight round the neck and extending
to the feet. This should be worn immediately upon entering, and
all the time she is in the sick room, and taken off and hung upon
the door immediately before leaving the room. The hands and
face should be washed with soap and water prior to leaving the