Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-23
NUMBER 1873.
From the New York Evening Poat.
The Pustule AfaIigne.

/ we quoted DAY or two since, rom the columns
OF one Of our contemporaries, brief notice OF a
mysterious disease, Of which several cases have
occurred In this city within tho past year or two.
and which has, In many instances, defed the most
skifuimedical treatment. Some Of Its symptoms
have won for II the title Of the plague. though it
is readily distinguishable by scientific eve from
the great Oriental pest. As the public attention
has been painfully awakened lately to the terrors
OF this disease, we may be serving useful purpose
BY laying before our readers some facts, regarding
its symptoms and treatment which we have met
with in careful essay upon the subject, prepared
about a year ago by DIR. ID. w. Wainwright 4
promising young physician of this city, and son Of
the Rev. DR.. Wainwright, late Provisional Bishop
OF the Diocese Of New York. 1t Is entitled Pus-
tuie Maligne, and purports to embody all the re-
suits of the observations of the disease which
have been made both at home and abroad. From
this tract we gather the following facts:
me Pustule Maligne, which has been de-
scribed by different writer's under other names.
as Anthrax, Butony Milan, Charbon, Charbor
Malin, Puce Maligne, Feu Persique, Is gan
grenous inflammation of the skin, involving.
more or less deeply, the sub-cutaneous areol,
tissue. There is much dispute among author.
ties concerning the identity of Pustule Malrno
and Charbon. And, in order to reconcile such
discrepancies, DR.. Wainwright divides tho die
| ease into two varieties: l. Essential: 3. Symp-
tomato. The Essential corresponds to the Pustu-
les Malignc Of some writer's, tho Symptomatc to
the Charbon Of others
The disease may be produced in two ways: the
essential, by inocculation the symptomatic. by
absorption. The essential variety by the direct
inoculation Of some part of the body, with poison
| that is formed In animals diseased with charbon
| or with any OF those malignant disorders to which
they are subject; the syinptomatic, by being ex.
posed to the influence of certain malaria or--as In
| some cases OF vitiated consttution--without any
-eliable exciting cause.
That this disease is transmissible from animals
to man, is allowed by all authorities
But whether 1t Is communicable from man to
man, Is matter of dispute
The weight of authority is decidedly against its
| contagious propert'es--among whom is Boyer,
who states that student Of his class inoculated
| himself with the serum from Pustule Malone
| and experienced no i'll effects.
| Larrey gives the following account Of number
OF cases that occurred in one family:
| "On the 18th Of May, 1889, an OK, suffering
from charbon, was bought. through inadverten-
cy, az the market of Mont Rouge, by the master.
butcher Lenormand, who, being unaware of the
danger, proceeded to kill the animal TO avoid the
loss of flesh. One of his ionrneymen twenty-eipbt
years of age, after having knocked down and
slaughtered the OK and while engaged in skinnipg
1t, was seized in swoon. Soon after, he was al.
tackled with pain in the head, vertigo and swell
ing on the left cheek where, soon afier appeared
small blackish pustule which did not at frat
attract the attention Of the patient In the mean
while he complained of pain, Of swelling In all the
surrounding parts, and purple redness in the
circumference, and the tumor black and depressed
at the centre.
81 surgeon was called, who applied emollient
poultices, bled twice, and prescribed the use of
bath and cooling drinks.
"The progress of the disease was 30 rabid that
the patient died on the 21st of the same month.
Half Of the face was already gangrcnous
!" A second journeyman taken in the same
way, the pustule showing itself on the neck, and
was accompanied with the same symptoms The
sudden death of these two persons and the wife
Of the butcher being attacked with charbon of
the like character and intensity, frightened the
sistants and physicians, who, fearing the conta-
gion, abandoned the patient The disease estab.
lshed itself with greater ease the season. being
very warm and damp, favored the development Of
this maady, and perhaps gave to Il o pestilental
character. Among other reasons, the rigorous
winter which had just passed had taken from the
poor all the ability to preserve themselves from
such plague. The woman, Lenormand, when l
was called, had already undergone the same treat
ment as the others. The danger was imminent.
The charbon had appeared, as in the first patient,
on the left check, near the angle Of the Jaw. The
tumor was gangrcnous In the centre, with redness
and tnmefaction at its circumference She had
prostration Of strength, difficult respiration, hic
cough, outward flowing of the saliva, nausea vom-
iting, discooraton of the skim codness Of the ex
tremities smalness and intermittenccs Of the pulse
and delirium, all announcing that death was APP
preaching
IL prescribed antiseptic cordial draughts, aro-
matte poutices, and mineral lemonade for drink.
also placed vinegar in evaporation in the apart
ment.
Before proceeding to any operation l called,
in consultation, NJ. Boyer, surgeon.
n a = -.
of the gangrenous portions Of the pustule, and the
instant applca ion Of the liquid caustics upon the
disorgani7ed parts which had escaped the bistoury.
" In the first twenty-four hours the symptoms
were easier tho engagement had commenced TO
subside, and the faculties Of the patient seemed
already to acquire new life. joined to the inter
nal remedies the use Of wine and quinine. The
patient advanced from the dangerous state in
which she was, and grew better aud better until
she perfectly well, which was about six weeks
after. The bandage completed the reunion Of the
lips Of the wound, without any 6stula, and with
slight deformity.
"Two other journeymcn butchers bad likewise
contracted the Pustule Maligne. ! followed with
them, the same treatment, with like success.n
The part where this disease generally appears Is
either on the face or neck, though il may attack
any other partof the body. IL often shows itself
on the labia Of children and what Ia called spon-
taneous gangrene Is in many cases veritable Pus-
tule Maligne
DR.. Wainwright makes the following sugges.
tons about the treatment of the disease:
"There have been various notifications Of treat
ment recommended by different surgeons Some
advise the cautery alone; others, the extirpation
of the tumor followed by the cautcry--either the
actual or potential But in cases that have OBJ
served the disease has yielded so readily to in
cision alone, that believe no one s justified in
using the cautery until he has seen the effect of
simple incison.
"The advantage Of the incision is that Il will
generally be sufficient and its does not cause
the deformity that must follow the application Of
the cautery IT, after the ncision is made, the die
ease continues to extend, then apply the cautery,
either the actual potential the actual is pr fer
able, Il having greater control over the mslady.
The incison should be graduated to the size OF
| the tumor il that is not large, single, If large,
crucial incision will be necessary.
Care should be taken to cut not only entirely
through the tumor ITSELF but also 10 include some
What Of the healthy structure beneath and at both
4 sides.
"The relief after the incision IL very great; thei