Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-01-16

ion Of many Of our beet rhyFeinn', desire, with
your leave 10 mak' d few suggestions concerning
H. and give you tuch reflections regarding lis
nature and progress NJ have been able to gath.
d er through the Kindness Of physicians In those
communities whore the disease appeared most
fatal rs we'll Rs few we'll marked cases which
came under my immediate observation,
The nearest point to this town where the dis.
case prevailed to an alarming Is in Jefferson
. county about nine miles from here, on on elcva.
ted situation, in tho family Of Mr., Price, Of Wins.
low township, and in a remarkably healthy
place. In this family FIVE died in few mouths
leaving only a single member OF the fNmily-a
boy about Fifteen years old tho disease proving
fatal in every instance when attacked, In periods
Of from Eve to twenty eight days. their ages
varying respectively from FIVE to twenty ono
years Tho fact that tho disease confined Itself
that some local cause connected with this place
was conducive tO.tho disease,
In this disease, (liko other zymotic diseases,
the etiology Of which is usually uncerlain) IL is
with the utmost difficulty that we can determine
how far it could be justly attributed to meteoro-
logical, miasmatic, or ether causes. learn,
however, that most persons, embracing every
age and sex, residing in the locality whore tho
endemic FIRST made its appearance, has, at differ
ont tunes during its prevalence, symptoms of the
disease more or less distinctly marked but those
who were exposed seyerally, and attacked in
removing to another locality, suffered only a
modified and mitigated form Of 1t; in this respect
agreeing with the general law of endemics OF
the contagoousncss Of the disease, have net a
doubt. IN those cases which have seen, and
those reported to me at nyrequest, which think
must have been apparent to every one possessed
Of discriminating mind, who had an opportunity
presented him of Witnessing its peculiar charac-
I ter, tending, and progress. In those families
where moro tlGn ono member was attacked, those
last seized Invariably run thc most violent and
rapid course, terminating, in some instances, in
four or five days. doubtless owing to The fact
that those last attacked were exposed, not only
to the o:iginal source of the contagion, but at
the same time to the peculiar poison given OF
from those who were already suffering from the
disease. In most cases, period Of two weeks
elapsed between an exposure to the disease and
its invasion the period of incubation, however,
varied from five to twenty days.
The anatomical LESSONS were principally those
of the lymphatic glands. This was more ospeci-
ally the case with'thc cowical glands, which. in
the most malignant cases, were very much en-
larged, so as to interfere with desIatiGon, nad
[ alarminely obstruct the air passages,
The primary symptom Of this frightful disease,
apparent in my observation, was pain in tho car.
This was not only pathognomonic, but rromi-
nenl, and almost if not invariably present in
every case that have seen, and those with whom
have conversed. who have recovered, all re.
member this symptom, for few days prior to the
patients Eaking the least complaint in amy
other form whatever, and before the small
est spcck or coBcrCtioa Of lymphatic cxudation
could be discovered on the tonsels or elsewhere.
To this symptom we must now add stiffness Of
the muscles of the neck, great prostration ner-
vous system greatly depressed, slight chills, the
action of the glands increased, sore throat
tongue slightly coated in the centre and rod
around the OUTSIDE, orthopn@a, occasionally
prematurely slow pulse, hut generally accelorn-
ted and feeble. On examining the fanceS, the
tonsels were found to be red, enlarged, and in
famed, and soon small points Of Emphatic cxu-
dalion were discovered on them which spread
rapidly over the contiguous parts until it entirely
covered the nmygdalH, urula, soft palate, and
/ the entire surface of the pharnyx with pseudo
membrane, which continued to extend upwards,
until it closed the nasal fossnl, and downwaIds 80
as to invade the larnyx, where its progress was
indicated by Loarse coughing, aphonia, and or
thopnua, which terminated soon in secondary
Group.
In most cases the appetite and digestion were
uuimpaired and, although ! have the report of
a very intelligent physician in Jefferson county
of case where typhoid fever was added or en-
sued, there was no mental disturbance observa-
be during any stage Of the disease.
! In few cases petechim were discovered scat
tered over the body and arms in the advanced
period Vt the disease. The symptom was
not frequently met with, nor was it found de-
pendent on any peculiar debility or mNlignancy
Of the case. In ore case, TO which my attention
was called by friend to observe this eruption, l
could not characterize it as true petcchio, not
withstanding my friend, who is n very intelligent
man and tried physician, so regarded it.
Dysphagia was, OF course, common and dis
tressing symptom, in consequence of the organs
Of deglutitiOn boing, in very severe eases, ex-
| tensively involved.
In one case, the obstruction of the cesophagus
was complete, and the patient, tho last one that
died in the family Of Mr.. Price, after surviving
the primary stage, and after giving in all other
respects, good hope of recovery, sunk for the
want Of nou rishment, and died Of pura exhaus-
ton. This patient refused all medical aid after
tho primary stage had passed..
In the course Of treatment that was pursued, it
is needless to fay that in a disease characterized
as this one was by such complete atony, in every
stage, DO depletory measures were resortcd to,