Infectious diseases of school children : a manual for the use of teachers.

  • Connecticut. State Board of Health.
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Infectious diseases of school children : a manual for the use of teachers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    —13— small, red spot which enlarges peripherally with consider- able rapidity, so that in two or three weeks it may attain the size of a circle half an inch or more in diameter; as it increases at the border, it has a tendency to clear in the center. The margin is sharply defined, slightly raised, of a well-marked red color, while the center of the patch may be covered with a small amount of easily removed scales. Ringworm of the scalp is not always easy of recognition. The teacher's attention is usually attracted to it by bald spots, on which is a stubby growth of broken and diseased hair. These spots vary in diameter from half an inch upwards and are covered with a dirty grayish scaling, some- times by crusts. Precautions.—Children affected should receive careful treatment until all trace of the disease has disappeared. They should not be allowed to use the same toilet articles that others use. Exchange of wearing apparel, particu- larly hats, among children, should be prohibited. When a case of ringworm is observed in school, the parents should at once be notified, and the case referred to a physician. Scabies (Itch). Scabies is caused by a female parasite, which bores into the skin or rather beneath the epidermis for the purpose of laying her eggs, which may be found in a little track or furrow which she leaves behind her. This little track forms the characteristic sign of the disease and consists of a minute, brownish-black line, generally curved, which may terminate at a point of inflammation, such as a papule, vesicle or pustule, and is caused by the presence of the insect. In addition to these lesions there are also numerous scratch marks and crusts, all of which vary greatly accord- ing to duration and the condition of the individual in regard to health and cleanliness. The disease has a partiality for certain places, which aid greatly in recognizing it. The first is the region between and about the base of the fingers; next on the inner surface of the wrists, also about the ankles.