Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-11-02

May such dire ne'er visit you'll
Thanks that no careless, stranger hands arrayed
Thee love Obi God our cup is bitter madei
Dear friends, ye have done what ye could: adieul"
ANNIE NJ. DUGANNE.
Dover, N. H., Oct. 10, 1850.
DIptheria! What is itl-A simple Cure.
The Chicago Times says the fatal throat disease among
children is making fearful ravages among the little ones
in various parts ofNorthern Illinois, It appears Kane
in La ssle Stephenson, wnnebago and Du Page coun-
ties and In the country towns about Chicago proves
fatal in nearly every case the physicians being unable to
treat the malady.
The Warsaw Qnd) Experiment of the 26th says; 'Dip-
theria throat is raging great extent in this
vicinity Eve children having recently died with It
one family.
During the past few months we have seen
great many similar notices in our exchapg-
es from al parts of the country. Some six
or eight cases have occurred in Fremont
lately; one--the daughter of Hon. r. P.
BUoKLAND-proving fatal, the others yield
ing to medical treatment. Below we copy
an article from an eastern paper on this
disease, which no doubt will have an attent-
i've perusal, and may, perhaps, give hints
which will be of service, should occasion re-
quire:
From the Providence r. I) Post.
Within the past two years, the public at
tention has frequently been called to this
disease, by paragraphs telling of its ravages
in different places, or of a remarkable NOR,
tality from it in individual families. 1t has
prevailed extensively in California. In the
autumn of 1858, it destroyed nearly two
hundred children in Albany, N. Y; in
March, 1853, it produced great consterna-
tion in Orange. Connecticut; it is quite
prevalent at the present in Western New
York; deaths are reported from it every
week in Philadelphia, Now York and Bos.
ton, and some cases have occurred during
the last year in all parts of New England
but it has been epidemic so as to attract
the public attention in only few places.
In this city there were few cases in
August, 1858, and five persons died with
the disease during the remainder of that
year.
In 1859, seventeen person died of dip
theria, and during the present year it has
been present in the city nearly all the time,
not, however, assuming an epidemic char,
.acter.
1t has passed over all portions of France
within the last thirty-fve years, and
throughout England during the past six OF
eight years, causing large mortality
among children. What is it?
We find the following description in one
of the City Registrars reports:
"Diptheria is disease of childhood, the
greater portion of its victims, like those OF
scarlatina, being between two and twelve
years of age. 1t commences with the usual
symptoms of cold and with considerable
fever. simultaneously with these symp.
TOMS and sometimes preceding them, there
is deposit in spots of whitish or graysh
white membrane upon the tonsils and back
part of the mouth. This membrane in.
creases with great rapidity; the fever be,
comes of typhoid character; there is great
constitutional depression; the breath be-
comes exceedingly fetid, and in some cases
the glands about the neck become enlarged
When death takes place, it is caused in some
cases by the extension of the false mem
brane to the air passage, producing the eff
fects of Group; in other cases it is caused by
exhaustion and fever from the poison of the
disease. In some epidemics majority OF
the fatal cases will die apparently from
Group; in other epidemics, the larger por
ton will die from the constitutional symp
toms. In the severe epidemic in the city o.
Albany, in 1858, a few cases occurred in
the spring and summer, but the greatest
severity Of the disease was in October anC
November.
1t is entirely distinct disease from scar
latina or Group, though it has some relation
to those diseases which at times cause doub
in the minds of superficial observers.
The diagnostic by which it is knowr
from other diseases of the throat, is the for
nation ofsa membrane which increases
gradually until the patient is literally
.strangled to death. It's sometimes accom-
panied by liberation, and extreme prostra
tion of the entire system, and at others b,
neither of these symptoms, yet in eithe
case tits equally fatal. To arrest the for
nation of this membrane would, therefore
seem equivalent to curing the disease, anC
this in most instances may be done in th'
following manner.
In the early stages of the complaint
which is always accompanied by soreness
and swelling of the throat, let the patien
use a simple solution of salt and water, a
a gargle every fifteen minutes. At tn
same time moisten piece of flannel with
solution of the same kind, made warm a
the patient can bear it, and bind it arounC
the throat renewing it as often as the gar
gle is administered, and in the meanwhile
sprinkling fine salt between the flannel ant
the neck. Use iuwardly some tonic o
stimulant, either separately, or, if the pros
tration be great, use both together. Th
treatment, as may be seen, is extremely sim
pie, and, ifused in the earlier stages of th'
disease, will effect complete cure. ..I,