id water or cool water lessens the
fever and produces sleep. The bowels should be kept open at least once a
day, and castor oil or salts usually can be given. (See Nursing and
Dietetics department.)

Table of Infectious Diseases.
Date of
characteristic Whole
Incubation lasts symptom. duration.
Mumps 7 to 20 days 1st day 7 days or less
Whooping Cough 2 to 7 days 7 to 14 days 2 months
Diphtheria 1 to 12 days 1 to 2 days 1 week to 1 month
Erysipelas 2 to 8 days 1 to 2 days 1 week to 3 weeks
Varioloid 10 to 13 days 1 day 1 week to 3 weeks
Chicken Pox 12 to 17 days 1 day 4 to 7 days
German Measles 1 to 3 weeks 1 day 3 to 4 days
Measles 12 to 14 days 4 days 7 to 9 days
Scarlet Fever 1 to 7 days 1 to 2 days 7 to 12 days
Typhoid Fever 1 to 14 days 7 to 8 days 3 to 5 weeks
Smallpox 10 to 14 days 3 to 4 days 2 to 4 weeks

SCARLET FEVER. Definition.--Scarlet fever is an acute infectious disease,
with a characteristic eruption.

Modes of Conveying.--The nearer a person is to a patient the more likely
one is to take or convey the disease. Clothing, bedding, etc., may retain
the poison for months. Scales from the skin of a patient, dried
secretions, the urine if inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis) exists,
the discharges (feces) from the bowels, are all means of infection. The
longer a person remains near the patient the more likely he is to convey
the disease. Foods handled by those sick of the disease, or by those who
may have been near patients may convey the disease. This is especially
true of milk. Epidemics of scarlet fever have been started by dairy-men
who had scarlet fever in their family. I once attended a family where the
only known cause for it in that family was a long-haired dog of a neighbor
who had scarlet fever in the family. The dog was in the room with the sick
ones, and visited the neighbor's family and played with the children who
afterwards came down with the fever. Discharges from the ear, caused by
scarlet fever, are said to be capable of giving it.

[168 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Remains in the Room, how long?--It may remain for months in a room, and
extend over two year