Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-02-09
COMMUNICATIONS,
For the GazetteJ
Scarlet Fever


Scarlet Fever.
! At present, scarlet fever prevails in our
! community to a considerable extent and as il
! is generally fatal disease among children,
all are more or less concerned about its prev.
alence and cure. If there is one method OF
cure better than another, the people ought to
know 1T. 1t is not enough that the doctor
should know all about disease in which pa
rents are so much interested. There is no
disease that is easier to cure nor one in which
there has been more malpractice.
The term Scarlatina" is applied to a dis
ease. The general features of which consist in
fever, scarlet appearance of the skin and of
the mucous membrane of the mouth and
fauces, with Inflammation of the throat in
most cases. Scarlet fever exists in three
forms: Simple or mild, attended with slight
fever and no danger-ScdrldtinG anginosa
attended with great swelling of the glands of
the neck and severe fever, yet with little dan
ger-M0tigndnt or putrid sore throat, in which
the rash appears but slightly on the surface,
the throat rapidly ulcerates, and the fever is
Of the character of putrid typhus.
This hitherto terrible disease has afflicted
our country during the past twenty-five years
1t knows no time, nor season, nor place, nor
age, nor condition, except that it visits chill
dren with more terrible effect than old per-
sons. The per centage of mortality in New
York and Philadelp phia has been from thirty
to ninety seven, varying according to age.
When we look at the manner in which AL
lopathic, or, the popular physicians of this
community treat this disease, we need not
wonder that SO many cases die. The greatest
wonder to US is that so many recover. If
scarlet fever patients recover, it is not on ac-
Of fba 1X,ip ,Eo, sc,
When we look into the history of this disease,
We find that the less medicine there is given
the better the chance the patient has for re-
coVery. Hundreds of simple and easy RENE
dies have been published to the world for the
cure Of scarlet fever. Non professional per
sons have treated hundreds of cases without
losing one. Water Ctre physicians have
treated thousands of cases aCithOut losing
stngLe case. Notwithstanding all tbs the
children IN every section Of the country are
dying of scarlet fever rather If the treat
ment. bySicians-laboriug under the false
idea that disease is something, az cutity,
like mad dog in town, that must be driven
out, or killed-practice bleeding, blisterins
purging; prescribe the same inter, antimony,
calomel, opium, quinine muriatic acid, BELLA
donna and alcohol that have sent millions to
their graves in infancy and youth. HOmeo-
pathic physicians lose less number of cases
than the old school," which is owing to the
fact that their remedies are less powerful and
smaller in quantity. Prof. Dunglison, than
whom there is no higher authority, says:
The greatest discrepancy has prevailed in
regard to the management of scarlet fever"
and in speaking of the mode of treating it
says: Taken singly, the cold bath is per-
haps the most effectual remedy that can be
employed in the infammatory varieties of
scarlatina, and induces the same soothing in
huence as in other forms Of fever.
When the glands of the neck, or the tonsils,
are much tumefed, and there is difficulty of
breathing in consequence of the exudations
from the diseased membrane, or the existence
OF actual sloughs, as good an application as
any IN these cases Is simple emolhent cata-
plasm," or softening poultice.
The manner IN which children live, at the
present day, predisposes them to measles,
scarlet fever, &c. Their bodies get obstructed
and their blood inhammatOry from bad food,
bad air, &c. Under these circumstances tile
vital machinery undertakes to throw off ac
cumulated impurities, and this vital effort we
term scarlet fever, or measles, according to
the manifestation of the vital effort. Now,
the effect of drug remedies is to change the
remedial efOrt-the disease-from the surface
to the centre, and hence the fatality under
drug medication. The Water Cure treatment
for scarlet fever is as simple and easily under
stood as it is effectual. The simple form of
the fever requires but little treatment. The
patient should be bathed or washed with cool
or tepid water, according to the heat. The
anginoSe form, in which the scarlet rash is
more general and the fever greater, the wet
sheet pack, pouring head bath, or general
cold towel bath, is indicated. The malignant
or putrid sore throat requires more care in its
treatment In this form the throat ulcerates,
the salivary glands become enlarged, attended
with an acrimonious discharge from the nose
and ears. This form being of the typhoid
character, requires but little cold water treat
ment. Tepid ablutions, wet cloths to the
chest and throat, cold cloths to the head and
warm foot baths, are the leading appliances.
The method of treatment is altogether owing
to the condition of the patient. Some may
think that the ground taken is too ultra, but
if we would reiterate what Prof B. F. Barker,
NJ. D., of the N. Y. Medical College, thigh
authority,l says, we might be considered ultra,
but nevertheless within the bounds of truth:
"The drugs which are administered for the
cure of scarlet fever, and measles, kill far
more than those diseases do. lhave recently
given no medicine in their treatment, and
have had excellent success"
A. L. HAMILTON, NJ. D.