The treatment of the exanthemata by so-called antiseptic inunction : with observations on the period of incubation and the duration of infectiveness in scarlet fever a paper read before the Association on June 27, 1894 / by H.G. Armstrong.

  • Armstrong, H. G. (Henry George)
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The treatment of the exanthemata by so-called antiseptic inunction : with observations on the period of incubation and the duration of infectiveness in scarlet fever a paper read before the Association on June 27, 1894 / by H.G. Armstrong. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    with thymol and camphor dissolved in the oil of eucalyptus. It contains no fixed oil, nor alcohol, and, it is asserted, evaporates completely and rapidly. He directs that, “in scarlet fever the whole surface of the body be lightly smeared over with the oils, night and morning, for three days, not omitting the skin behind the ears, and into the scalp once a day. After the third day the skin is only to be anointed at night after a warm bath, for a further period of ten days.” In addition to the inunction of the body, he directs that the oleusaban should also be sprinkled over the bed and pillow, and diffused in the air of the room by means of a spray diffuser, and that from three to six drops in mucilage or on a lump of sugar be administered internally three times a day. He claims for this method of treatment very similar results as were claimed by Hr. Schneeman for his bacon fat method. The virus of the disease is, he says, destroyed from the commencement of the fever. If the inunction is commenced in the initial stage, the fever does not develop, and no rash appears, the patient being quite well in from twenty-four to thirty-six hours. If on the first day of the rash, the patient is quite well in two or three days; if on the second day, the case may be prolonged for four or five days. In all cases no infection is given off from the patient, who may consequently be safely treated at home. No segregation in infectious hospital is necessary ; a most injurious and reprehensible plan, he argues at,some length -—which argument, he says, will also apply to the segrega¬ tion of boys in the school infirmaries. In most cases there is little or no desquamation of the cuticle. No album¬ inuria, or other sequelae, and the patient is considered free to return to his ordinary occupation, or to school, after the tenth day from the commencement of his illness. Are we prepared to accept this ? Are we as school medical officers prepared to treat our scarlet fever cases in the school dormitories, or to allow them to return to school after ten days ? Are we prepared to abolish the disinfecting apparatus ? For this, according to Mr. Curgenven, is un¬ necessary, the disinfection of the bedding and the room