TREATMENT
Reading edition
Each person with measles should be put to bed and kept there until free of fever. Care must be taken to avoid exposure to drafts. Fluids are to be given freely, including cold water. Tepid baths should be given and add much to the comfort of the patient. If the fever is high it may often be lowered by frequent sponging with tepid water. Even quite warm water is grateful and the temperature of the bath may be determined by the feelings of the patient. When pain in the ear occurs it may often be relieved by applying heat, either wet or dry as most grateful. The pain is often relieved and the congestion reduced by putting in the ear a few drops of warm glycerine to which 5 to 10 per cent of carbolic acid has been added. When there is a discharge from the ear, the secretion must not be allowed to accumulate. The canal may be gently washed with warm boric acid solution, using no force, and then dried with little swabs of absorbent cotton. The canal must not be plugged with cotton, but the discharge allowed to drain freely. If the discharge is profuse a pad of gauze over the ear may be used to absorb it. Persistent discharge or tenderness about the ear demands attention by someone specially qualified.
The room should be moderately darkened to relieve the eyes. The eyes should be bathed with warm boric acid solution and sticking of the eye lids may be prevented by the application to the edges, especially before sleep, of a little vaseline. The diet at first may be largely milk, but general diet may be given as the appetite returns. In young children any intestinal disturbance should receive the attention of a doctor. The mouth should be kept clean by washing with boric acid solution or other mild washes. If there has been hoarseness in a child with measles and it tends to increase, especially if there are any croupy symptoms, a doctor should be consulted at once. Such cases are sometimes diphtheria of the larynx, engrafted upon measles.
At the termination of measles the measures for disinfection consist especially of thorough airing and sunning of room and contents.