Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-11-28
SOMETHING ABOUT DIpHrHERIA.

| AANU doOu4
Inc following report from the pen of
leading physician of Delaware county. in re.
ia'ion to this singular and fatal disease, and
more particularly in regard to certain facts
ulsciosed by examination into fatal cas- hap
pening during the course of his practice, will
De found of Importance and general interest
10 the community, particularly at the present
ssThis disease, which for the last four or
nve years has been making its way westward,
mas appeared in various localities through this
county and by its fatality. has caused consid-
cradle alarm in the public mind. 1t is charac-
terlzed by the formation of a membranous ex-
uoation covering the throat and roof of the
mouth more or less completely and in some
cases extending into the windpipe, causing
death, as in Group, by suffocation. 1t is not
iuehticai with form of throat disease which
mas occasionally prevailed in different parts of
the country and which has been variously des-
lghated as malignant sore throat, putrid sore
throat, erysfpelas of the throat, Black Tongue,
&c. The tendency in this form of disease is
10 rapid death or gangrene of the parts af-
fected; and it lacks wholly the mem branous
exudation which is the peculiar feature of
Dlphtheria. The disease is not altogether
new. Several epidemics have been described
In which this peculiar exudation was observed.
ana physicians in every country have OCCASION
ally met with cases of throat disease accom-
ing altogether the fatal tendency that has
marked this epidemic visitation of the disease.
The danger from the extension of the exuda-
ton into the windpipe has been referred to.
rms undoubtedly in some cases is the direct
cause of death, but very many cases prove fa-
tai In which there is no affection of the wind
pipe and no material obstruction to the respi-
ration Death has been supposed to result in
such cases. from the terribly depressing effect
OF the disease upon the nervous centres.
ferhaps large majority of the fatal cases
have been of this character and until the in
teresting fact developed by case that occur
red in the family of Mr.. Rodman 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 cases
in which the difficulty about the throat is in
sufilclent to account for the result. In Mr..
Prichett's family the disease first appeared in
June last and at that time counted its two
victims. Last week it again appeared and
added two more to the list. In none of these
did the exudation extend to the windpipe nor
was there an amount of disease of the throat
to explain the result. The attending Physi-
clans finding themselves baffied in their efforts
to arrest the fatal tendency, sought, In the
last case, and readily obtained the privilege
of making post-mortem examination, which
developed the fact that in the cavities of the
heart there had been formed mass of firm
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 mass nearly an inch in diameter.
The adhesions to the walls of the heart in
some parts were so firm as to render it i'm
possible to separate it without leaving parti-
cles still attached. 1t is true that gelantin- |
Gus mass is often found in the heart, formed |
by its contracting upon the coagulated fbrin |
of the blood, during the last moments of exist |
ence; but the leathery character of the mass |
removed and the frmness of the adhesion pre- |
cude such a theory of its formation. A more !
rational explanation is found in the altered |
condition of the fbrn of the blood which is |
the remarkable feature of the disease. The |
existence of such mass would account, not |
only for the rapidly fatal termination, but al |
so for the existence of an extremely feeble |
pulse in connection with violent, tumultu-
ous action of the heart as is so often observed |
in fatal cases of this disease. Should this |
condition be confirmed by subsequent exami- /
nations great practical good may result in di-
'ecting the attention of Physicians to another
source of danger than the local disease of the
throat and lead them by early and decisive
measures to counteract more successfully the
olood-vice, upon which the disease depends.
One other point may be worthy of notice as
calculated to do awayIwith unnecessary anxiety
lpon being brought in contact with cases of
Oiphtheria. 1t seems to be purely and simply
IN epidemic disease, dependant upon cause
,r causes existent in the atm osphere, and that
t will select localities and individuals that
,ave most affinity for it, without reference to
iirect exposure to the disease"
s
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