Des Arc citizen., 1860-04-28
By S. CHENIvA, M. D.


 ter-judging from different statements, which
 I have been able to collect from reliable | sources. It would seem, also, that the nature
 of the prevailing malady is of malignant
 and contagious nature.
 Specuations are highly excited, to account
 for the causes of the reigning malady. The
 PHILOSOPHERS of the several places, at first boldly asserted that the low grounds contigu-
 ous to Augusta, were the source of the disease.
 Afterwards, it was attributed that the con
 tagion was imported from abroad. And
 lastly, when all other causes failed, the most
 KNOWING ONES declared that the inclemency
 of the late winter, was the cause of general disease and that other localities escaped the
 calamity for reasons which could not be di- vined. All speculations on this subject, at last
 seems to revert to the doctrines of the an- clients. which declare that all epidemcs are
 owing to "a secret constitution of the atmos-
 phere,n (neither depending on heat, cold
 dryness or nnoisture,) which prevails periodi-
 cally, and not only influences the character, 1 but changes the type of diseases.
 | Oh wonder not, young Physic, do not smile l in your sleeve. ye non-commIttal expectation
 ists Ye steaming Thompsonians and ye infni-
 tisma potentates of Homeopathic attenua-
 tions! that Doctors and Psychologists of an-
 cient times did differ in opinion, as they do 1 | In Des Arc, the exacerbations of the disease
 seemingly had assumed mider form and was somewhat of more tractable character.- 1 However, many cases ended fatally. | From many cases that came under my treat
 ment, but which without single exception | terminated favorably, | am enabled.to produce
 the following observations
 | SYMPTOMS The first stage was ushered in | by rigor, an uneasy sensation in the throat, | hal tenance, and some fever. Upon examination
 the fauces were affected with an erisipelatous | inflammation, which extended to the velum pendulum palati and urula. If the disease 1 was not quickly checked, the tonsils become | swollen, with white specks or slough upon them, which continued to extend with in- | creased fever, pulse frequent but not tense. | Age or sex showed no marked predilection. | In the latter stages, the affection of the | tonsils increased and the inflammation seemed
 to pervade the trachea and lungs, the breast also
 was generally affected with cough, oppression, | pleuretic stitches; the stomach was little affected with irritability, vomiting being not 1 a rare occurrence--the tongue was mostly | foul, rarely parched the ardor of the skin
 was not comparable in intensity or contnu-
 ence, what occur in Typhoid Pneumonia l for which disease, by many, it was often mis- | taken.
 l | eruption of the skin was almost generally present. Invading the face, neck, breast, arms,
 and often the lower extremities; at first the papue were scattered, or in clusters, and on 1 the fourth or fifth day become continent, The separation of the cuticle is greater than in measles, but in smaller portions than in | Scaratina-the patients commonly complain of pain in the neck, and in the salivary glands l however neither the eyes nor the nose seems | ,{oo oIo Thac cNlo rnefh fhaa
 tion was generally dark, and the sense of itch | ing great
 | The characteristic features of the eruption 1 are very similar to the RubeoIa naligna of l Dr. Geo. Burrows; but attended with more
 grave symptoms and more alarming local com | pications.
 | At first, many persons believed that the dis ease was nothing more than the old fashioned measles. and undertook to cure themselves ]; however. few days convinced them of their error, and placed them in situation, not only | dangerous but in some instances, beyond the 1 reach of medical aid.
 1 Having thus offered my observations con 1 corning the history and progress of the disease, I proceed now to establish it's Epidemic na- | ture.
 There is group of diseases related to one
 another by obvious afinitles, and essentially l differing from all others, which do not appear l | cient distinctness in any arrangement ot No 1 soIogv. hence it is not easy to determine pre- 1 cisely, those that appear under various and | new forms, whether they ought or not be ad- mitted into the natural assembage of Epidemic diseases. The Plague, Yellow Fever, with all
 the subordinate grades of Remittents and h. 1 ternttents, and the several varieties or Iy-
 phurs. are those which exhibit the most lnti- mate relations Dysentery, and some other n1i 1i,aof oo
 which are apt to become epidemic. certainly deserve to stand in the same association. All these as they are supposed to be the effect of common principle, somewhat modified. which is properly called Miasma, or the etfiuvium or dead animals and vegetable substances under going decomposition, may be denominated
 Miasmatic Diseases; hence propose to class
 here described complaint under the same cate
 gory-and give the name Miasmo -EruptlVe
 Fever. It is not expected here that the new name which is here proposed, will be received
 into professional or popular use, or indeed, tbat if will be suited for that purpose. The ohiect of proposing it is chiefly on the ground that Dr. Galen admits the proprlety or some-
 timas discriminating diseases by reference to tbeir remote causes in the following words (; Erisinelatis autem accidentia his fere slmlla , sunt and in super febris quoque cum Vene- mentissima siti laborantes cruclat; eas enim , febriS QuaScauS0nes; lu eSCs dlu0Heoe, eieAfNo vocorbant, magma ex parte adrenlre vldemus ;ecoris aut ventriculi fiammes dissositionibusi l atoue in pulmonis infammatione erysipelatis participe ardentes febres excitantur; quemad,
 modum ubi in universa quoque corpore blilosl humores ad immoderatum fervorum perveni. unt. Berum heque aut jecoris, aut ventlscull occasione ereniunt amnium sunt yehementls' simn. .''-TGalen de loc Affect Cap ii.
 TREArMENT.-The exhibition of Duriaties Anti-spasmodics and Expectorants, together 9 with mild Cathartcs, occasionally at bee l time Pulr. Ipecac. cum opii gr: x, in cases
 febril uneasiness, have generally proven very
 successful in our locality. The system o nractice has not been the same in other places s where calomel has been freely used, there th f mortality has been 'EaIaTmlng."
 In most cases the symptoms fully polnte'
 ont the inflammation of one or other of tn Viscera. and sometimes of all the three carities Q The smaller intestines and liver were oftel
 affected in the same way, proven by tension
 and pain of the right thypogastric,an and umollica
 regions The dry cough, oppression at breast r sometimes of the side, with difficult respira t ton, evinced an inflammation Of the oFadn. a In such iufammatory disposition Of tn n
 Viscera, what opinion are we to form or th lyiolant administration of Caiomel and othe drastic purgatives? If there be any steady rational, though not infallibie prlnclples 3 medicine, it must justly be assumed one, tha