The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-12-24
Medical Meeting.

Comfy Medical Society was holden at the VT
Hotel, in Mildlebury, on Thu sday, the 9Th
inst.
Dcsultury conversation, on the distinctive
diagnosis of variola and varood, cngrossed
the attention of the Society for short time.
The discussion OF the subject of Iyphus f.
rcr was opened by the cnuncaion of the fol
lowing propositions, by Dir Cushman. These
were stated by Dr. c. to be conclusions drawn
by him from his observations Of the disease as
it prevailed in Orwell !, in ls47s During one
year there were one hundred and fifty cases in
that Town.
/. 1t was unequivocolly Typhus.
2. 1t assumed all grades nom the mlldest to
the most malignant.
3. Its causes acted upon the nervous centres
and retlexy upon the different organs
T. 1t prevailed uninflucnccd by seasons, eX
cept in It's complications
s. When uninfluenccd by extrinsic causes,
it had its access, rise, acme and decline,
c. its complications resulted from diversity
of prcdispositions exciting causes, and sea-
sons.
T. 1t was unquestionahly contagious
g. Although contagious, its power OF repro.
ventilation, cleanliness and frequent change Of
clothing.
o. II was, in great degree, selflimited
disease.
10. 1t did not occur fully developed in any
person. who was known TO have had well
marked typhus fever before.
IT, The identity of IWhus and Typhoid fe-
yer was proved by the production of the differ
ent phenomena attributed to these by the same
exposure.
IL. When fully developed it dag osis was
| not difficult
| Dr. Russsl said he was unrrepared for par
iicular discussion of the subject yet he was
disposed to dishelicve in the identity Of the
Ship fever and typhus or typhoid fever. lie
| hal been, sometimes inclined to think that
| there might be some connection between the
potato rot and ship fever. That the
| ship fever is contagious, he fully be.
| lieved but did not admit our common typhus
or typhoid fever to be so. lie then proceeded
TO give IN account Of his own case, giving a
| particular description II the manner in which
he caught the disease He was exposed TO mum
berless cases by the road i e and on the boat.
while on visit TO Montreal, in the fall Of 81
| His system was peculiarly exhausted nv fl
| tigue and exposure to wet and cold. lie he
| gan TO feel its effects before he left Montreal
but did not give up until he had been at home
| several DAYS.
| Dr.. .MHer saw three cases of genuine shin.
| fever. among immigrants. Dark LIN idsl nis ap-
| peared on their surface about the fourth day
Sr;,h sorIcs faces Llon,cd ond hi.,h c.r'.,
TO-, ,l,oss seycn o,h.rs eviJon,Iv ,"oI' H.,
| H. ,Thoso occrrrol in Is1- A., ,'i,,',
n yo,,n,, man retained from Rater.GnII vhere
,,.,,bns tevo, was nrovaiiinr son of,or be ,,s
II 49,, in,,r and boI f.ycr closely Him.,
,Lns' in lss- From him several ocbis hro,h,
''lS1 -. H. d;sa,so
/ ~ CoIo 81 Rr;dnor, had ton mr. ,,voIve cas
-; ',., ,,i,-.,,,. IT, ,,,;,,, c".
es Of 'P .. 10 somo SIM, b,r Of ca.cs 81 mia
wards aoo- ''0 ia ;nI,IS,an,s Tho ros,i, -,
typhus, among Wv a 80 ho 10, ho,h go ~,
the evidence appeare ';'; M, 80
plus, but oil different y. ~, ~
had proiuse perspiration, d, ,ss
heat. diarrhga, and the disease was y" ~
tiid type The latter did not sweat ana '"' Nv
tendency to diafrh9a.
Dr. CuShmdn believes the gen raj sentiment
of the profession TO be that they are identical.
The cause OF the first case in Orwell remains
in doubt. From him it spread extensively.
AT the same it was introduced by immigrants
From the first case Of this kind, in a family of
eight, seven sckened in ten days from expo.
sure. The.e cases resembled the former.
Both classes OF cases put on the two forms Of
typhns and typhoid. i he ship fever is essen
italy typhus rendered malignant by circum
stances The causes modify the disease.
Dr. Alien believed ship and tvphus fever to
be identical, but the typhoid Is distinct disease
Among the Immigrants, in ls47, the ship fever
prevailed extensively. a large number of cas-
es came under his care. Great prostration #
strength, pungent heat of skin, profllse perspi-
ration, low ,muiiering delirum, were the gerer.
al characteristics. Nearly every case exhibited
more or less petcchi9, when cooked forespecial
ly at tho bend of the elbow. 1t was evidently
contagious The common continued fever Of
this region seldom or never exhibits pelechin,
but rose colored Spots are common, and these
occur on the breast. In this, little vesccles or
sudamina appear, particularly over the abdo.
men, which is not the case in true typhus
Deafness and sub sultus tendnum, with pick.
ing of the bedclothes, are more frequently
found in the typhoid; so also darrhGa. Much
confusion has arisen from the variety and loose
application Of the names of these fcvers. lie
believed the =" slow, nervous fever" Of Hux.
ham the = Dothin-enterite Of Louis, the ty.
pbold and common continued fever Of this
country are one and the same disease. That
the "putrid, malignant fever" of Huxham,
the the low puird,' the typhus, the ship, and
the camp or ,afl fcYerlls another, somewhat