Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-03-19
DIPTHERIA.
It's Origin and Cure.

all others, is towards accuracy of definition.
''Diptheria" has accordingly within the last
few years been set apart as the sign of a spe-
cisc membrane disease. This disease, though
In some respects resembling Group, and in GER
tain others quinsy, is distinguish able from both
by certain well-marked characteristics. Like
Group, it is accompanied by the formation of a
false membrane in the windpipe, which, If left
to itself, accumulates till the air-passage is
closed and death ensues But the false mem
brsne Of Group Is an cxudation Of natural lymph
from the vessels of the mucous membrane stim-
ulated to excess by high febrile condition of
the tissue. While, on the other hand, Dip
liberia is scarcely ever febrile in its pathology,
and its pseudo-membrane is the result Of a
sloughing of rather than an erudition Of the
mucous coating. Group belongs to the infam-
matory type Of disesses-Diptheria, save in
exceptional cases, does not. In Group, the
breath Of the patient is usually untainted In
Diptheria the breath is characterized by a
peculiar, and sometimes almost an intolerable
fetor. The Emphatic discharges of Group are
sometimes acrid. The discharges from the
nose and mouth of a Diptheric patient ichor-
ous and excoriating to the highest degree.
Group is not particularly prostrating to the
general strength of the person attacked by it.
Diptheria is invariably accompanied by ex-
treme debility, and a loss of muscular as we'll
as nervous tone, which often continues for
months after the immediate dangerous symp-
toms have been overcome. Finally-Diptheria
Is contagious-Croup is not.
1t will be seen By these details that Dip
iberia and Quinsy have more intimate points
OF resemblance than Diptheria and Group. In
certain cases this resemblance is greatly in
creased by complication Of the pseudo mem
braneous symptoms Of Diptheria with malig-
nant Inflammation of the tonsils. Still the
pSeudo-membraneous symptoms are of course
always sufficient to distinguish it from Quinsy.
II is not probable that diptheria is a new dis
ease. Toe scientific accuracy of medicinal
terms has made such rapid progress during the
last half century that the practice frequently
ind the data Of diseases, as reported thirty
years ago, unavailable through vagueness for
the purposes of an indicative experience
Nevertheless, from all that can be ascertained
on the subject, the identity of diptheria with
the putrid sore throat, which made such fear
full ravages in Albany and other places quar-
ter OF century ago, seems very probable.
That malady was charac terized by marked ty-
phoid symptoms, and this indication has its
counterpart in the extreme prostration of dip
liberia. If we recollect rightly, not a single
case Of the old putrid sore throat which re-
ceived then universal depicting treatment of
the disease. At the present day, nobody in
his senses would think Of letting blood or Civ
ing exhaustive medicine for diptheria
The treatment Of the disease proposes two
ends-lst. Te evoke and sustain all the natu.
raj vital forces Of the patient. ID. To rid the
air passages Of the false membrane For the
attainment Of the frst end-nutritious, digest
jble food, bsing the most natural, is, of course
also the best means Strong beef tea com bines
all the most desirable elements for such a pur-
pose. 1t should be given from the earliest
stages Of the disease, and when, as sometimes
happens, the faucus becomes closed by the dis
ease, or the parts become too painful to admit
Of ILL., sN L. ~
Of anal injections. Brandy, in judicious hands,
is another stimulus Of the highest value in dip
iberia. Iron in various forms has been admin
istered with great success. Perhaps its most
efficient form, as determined by late expe-
rience, is the sesquioxide. Its effect seems to
be two-fold-sustaining the general strength
of the patient and assisting the tendency Of
the mucous membrane to throw of and eject
the diptheritic clOugh. For the attainment of
the second, innumerable methods have been
proposed, and some Of them have been very
successful. Occasionally the use of the sesaui-
oxide above mentioned has been successful in
cooperation with the forces Of nature, to pr,-
duce the rejection Of the membrane as fast as
1t accumulated, and before it was indurated
sufficiently to exclude all air from the lungs
Sometimes it has been found possible to detac b
and pull out the membrane by means Of hook
ed or forcep-shaped instrument, though the
operation has been known to result in danger
Gus hemorrhage.
HOW TO GET RID OF THE FALSE MEMBRANE.
But by far the most successful treatment
says the n. \. Commercial Advertiser, } for re-
heving the diptheritic patient Of the false
membrane is that recently discovered by DIR.
L. A. Sayre, Of New York. His method is one
Of those admirable attainments of the highest
class OF inventive genius which, from their ex-
treme simplicity and obviousness, awaken in
every mind the remark-"Wh might have
thought Of that myself" Yet nobody ever
does think Of it till the inventive genius hap
pens to show him the way. The method Of DR..
Sayre was the result Of the following obserya-
ton: He noticed that if the discharge of Dip
iberia upon any dry and warm
substance-sueh as tAe side of a stove for in.
stance-it Immediately became a tough pelii-
ele, like q shred Of gold -beater's skin But If
The expectoration fell into a vessel coptaiIing
warm water, il remained liquid and limpid,
like other thin lymph or mucous
1t now occurred to DR.. Sayre, that IL from
the frst stages Of the formation of the false
membrane hot and humid atmosphere could
be hept in contact with it, it would remain as
soluble as in this last mentioned case, and be
easily ejectsd through the nose and mouth like
common mucus. Several means Of procuring
this contact suggest themselves. The weli-
known plan Of Inhalation from the spout of a
tea-kettle, and the ordinary vspor bath, are
among these. But the former is yidently inn.
pracdcable with those young children who are
the most frequent sufferers from diptheria.
They cannot be made to keep their mouths in
position over the narrow steam surface Of q
kettle. The vspor-bath Is relaxing to the gen.
ersl system, and cannot be thought Of In case
which, like diptheria, requires every tonic and
stimulant that can be made available. More
over, IL would be manifestly impossible to con.
: time the patient In q vapor-hath through a
period As long as the membrane Is aoc1mu-
lating. DIR. Sayrs finally adopted this method:
Having put the patient in a tightly shut room,
he had fat-iron heated to as near a white
heat as possible. He suspended Ii over pail
in the sick room, and kept the attendants
pouring water on il till il ceased to evaporate
every drop that came in contact with IT, As
soon as the iron was cooled down to such de-
gree that any surplus Of water remained un-
evaporised, he replaced it with one freshly
heated. He thus kept the room as full Of steam
as was consistent with comfortable breathing,
and at temperature Of 50 deg. Fahrenheit.
This process was continued for several hours,
during which not only the freshly -sloughed
membrane was constantly being expelled, in
liquid form, through the nose and mouth, but
membrane previously induratsd in the trachea
became soluble and was elected In like m an.