_scarlet fever, diphtheria, erysipelas, measles_, and _typhoid fever_.

Considerations of health demand that a person suffering from any one of
these diseases should be thoroughly isolated from all other members of the
family. All that has been stated in regard to general nursing in previous
sections of this chapter, applies, of course, to nursing infectious and
contagious diseases. In addition to these certain special directions must
be always kept in mind.

Upon the nurse, or the person having the immediate charge of the patient,
rests the responsibility of preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
The importance must be fully understood of carrying out in every detail
the measures calculated to check the spread or compass the destruction of
the germs of disease.

389. Hints on Nursing Infectious and Contagious Diseases. Strip the
room of superfluous rugs, carpets, furniture, etc. Isolate two rooms, if
possible, and have these, if convenient, at the top of the house. Tack
sheets, wet in some proper disinfectant, to the outer frame of the
sick-room door. Boil these sheets every third day. In case of diseases to
which young folks are very susceptible, send the children away, if
possible, to other houses where there are no children.

Most scrupulous care should be taken in regard to cleanliness and neatness
in every detail. Old pieces of linen, cheese-cloth, paper napkins, should
be used wherever convenient or necessary and then at once burnt. All
soiled clothing that cannot well be burnt should be put to soak at once in
disinfectants, and afterward boiled apart from the family wash. Dishes and
all utensils should be kept scrupulously clean by frequent boiling. For
the bed and person old and worn articles of clothing that can be destroyed
should be worn so far as possible.

During convalescence, or when ready to leave isolation, the patient should
be thoroughly bathed in water properly disinfected, the hair and nails
especially being carefully treated.

Many details of the after treatment depend upon the special disease, as
the rubbing of the body with carbolized vaseline after scarlet fever, the
care of the eyes after measles, and other particulars of which space does
not admit mention here.

Poisons and Their Antidotes.

390. Poisons. A poison is a substance which, if taken into the system
in sufficient amounts, will cause serious trouble or death. For
convenience poisons may be divided into two cla