The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-11-29
Diptheria.

The following report from the pen Of
leading physician of Delaware county, in
relation to this singular and fatal disease,
and more particularly in regard to cer-
tain facts disclosed by examination into
fatal case hsppe eniDg during the course
of bis practice, will be found of inpor-
taDce and general interest to the cowmu-
nifty, particularly at the present time:-
This disease, which for the last four
or five years has been making its way
we.tward, has appeared in various local
tiles through this county and by its fatal
ity has caused considerable alarm 10 the
public mind. 1t is characterized BY the
formation of a membranous exndatioD
covering the throat and roof oftbe mouth
more or less completely, and in some cs-
ses extending into the wlndpipe, causing
death, as in Group. By sufocation. 1t is
not identical with a form of throat direase
which has occasionally pre-, allied in diff
ferent parts OF the country and which has
been varously desigDated as maliz Dant
sore throat. putrid sore throat, erysipelas
of the throat, Black Tongue. &c. The
tendency ia this form of disease is to
rapid death or gangrene of the parts af
fected; and it lack. wholly the membran-
Gus exud alton which is the peculiar faa-
ture of Diptheris. The disease is not al.
togethernew Several epidemics have been
described in which this peculiar exuda-
ton was observed. and Physicians in ev-
cry country have occasionally met with
cases of throat disease accompanied by
embranous exudatioD, but lacking al.
together the fatal tendency that has
marked this epidemic visitation of the
disease. The danger from the extension
of the exudntion into the windpipe has
been referred to. This undoubtedly in
some cases is the direct cause of death.
but very many cases prove fatal in which
there is no afectionof the wiDdpipe and
no material obstruction to the respiration
Death has been supposed to result. in
such cases, from the terribly depressing
effect of the disease upon the nervous
centres. Perhaps large majority oftbe
fatal eases have besD of this character
aud urtil the interesting fact developed
by case that occurred in the family OF
Mr. Rodnau Prichett of East Goshen,
but little has been brought out to satisfy
the minds of intelligent Physicians as to
the precise cause of death in those case
in which the difficulty about the throat
is sufficient to account for the result In
Mr.. Prichett's family the disease first ap-
peared in June last and that time count
ed its two victims. Last week it again
appeared and added two u ore to the list
10 none of these did the exud alton extend
to the windpipe nor was there an amount
of dises of the throat to explain the re-
suit. The attending Physicians finding
themselves baf1ed in their efforts to ar
rest the fatal tendency. sought. in the
last Gaze, and readily obtained the privi
lege of making pot morteu examins
ton, which developed the fact that the
cavities OF the heart there bad been form
ed mass or firm leathery consistency,
and more OF less 6rwly adherent to the
lining Of the cavities. Much the larger
amount was found in the cavities OF the
right side of the heart. forming when roll
ed together a IN ass nearly an inch IN dl-
aueter. The adhesions to the walls Of
the heart in some parts we're so firm as
to render it impossible to seperate it with
out leaving PARTICLES still attached. 1t is
true that gelantDous mass is often
found in the heart, formed BY its COD
tracing upon the coagulaied 6brin Of the
blood, during the last moments of exis
tence; but the leathery character of the
mass removed and the frmness of the ad-
hesion preclude such theory of it's for
nation. A more rational explanation is
found in the altered condition of the fbrin
of the blood which is the remarkable fes-
ture of the disease The existence OF
su,b a mass would account, not only for
the rapidly fatal termination, but also for
the existence of an extremely feeble pulse
in connection With violent. tuOutuous
action of the heart as is so often observed
in fatal ca-es of this disease. Should
this condition be confirmed by subse-
quent examina ations great practical good
ma result in directing the attention of
Physicians to another source OF danger
than the local disease of the throat snd
lead them by early and decisive mess
ures to counteract more successfully the
blood vice, upon which the disease de-
pends. ne other point may De worthy
of notice as calculated to do away with
unnecessary anxiety upon being brought
in contact with cases of Diptheria. 1t
seems to be purely and simply an cpl
demic disease. dependent upon cause
or causes existent in the atmosphere. and
that it will select localities and indisidu
ais that have u ost affinity for it, without
reference to direct exposure to the dis
ease"