Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-01-09
DiptheRia.

New diseases are continually appearing,
which are, in fact, notifications Of old ones, !,
under new names aud in new FORMS There ap.
pears to be some peculiarty in the present win.
ter, which has caused diptheria to be unusually
prevalent in particular districts Of the interior
of this State, and, for want Of being taken in
time, particularly fatal. Care is needed lest
il become epidemic 10 our cities. For all popu-
lar purposes it may be regarded as a modi6ca-
ton of the putrid sore throat. In both, expe-
rienced medical skill at the outset is worth eve
rything. 1t generally begins in family among
the children, one of whom will be restless and
feverish for day, or with symptoms not very
unlike those which precede scarlet fever, ex-
hibting strong constitutional arrangement
Then comes on a complaint of soreness of the
throat, followed by small patches of white, or
sometimes yellowisb, coating matter on the
throat. The moment these appear, no time
should be lost in sending for medical man who
has had experience and success in treating these
diseases, because there are In fact two diseases
TO be treated OF once. One ia in the throat,
where there is local danger; but thereis also
another in the fluids Of the whole body, which
Is, after all, perhaps, the chief thing, though
most out OF sight.
1t is we'll known that the best mode OF treat
ing scarlet fever, measles, and even typhoid
fever, is to regard them as the effects Of some
poisonous matter inhaled through the lungs and
carried, perhaps, as the oxygen gas is carried,
through the capillaries OF that organ into the
circulatory system In scarlet fever and mea-
sles the best treatment has therefore been found
not to bleed or reduce the system, but rather to
stimulate it go as to aid it to throw off to the
surface the poison which 10 those cases blos-
SONS out Oh the skin and dies there.
The same sort Of general treatment Is found
most useful in diptheria. If child has an
ordinary attack of sickness, or sore throat, q
little abstinence or opening medicine will gen.
orally reduce it, But in disease of this kind,
on the contrSry, a generous diet and q gently
stimulating treatment seems to strengthen ma
ture to throw off the disease. Whether dipthe-
ria is contagious or not has been doubted. In
all probability it is not. But il may and does
become epidemic in the atmosphere. Wherev-
er there is exposure to it, fresh, pure air is one
of the best of preventves and even medicines
both for the individual patient and for the pre-
vention of the spread Of the disease. A room
we'll aired and lighted and warmed, so freely as
to allow Of q constant change, without draft, or
any extreme of heat or cold, will of itself do
much in the way of medicine. But there is no
time to be lost in the commencement of active
treatment the moment the disease shows itself.
To cleanse and keep clean the throat, and pre-
vent unhealthy and corrupt matter from form
Ing or accumulating there, is in itself work Of
no ordinary skill. Gargles for the throat, that
will stimulate the mucous membrane to healthy
action, or cauterizatioD, as needed, together with
the keeping up Of the strength of the general
system, win require no little management and
promptitude. Il should be borne in mind that
the proper treatment of each case as ii arises is
Of vast importance, not only to the life and
health Of the Individual patient, but, In fact, Of
the whole community. An hour or two Of neg
lect by asleepy nurse, may render case vir.
ulent in itself and pestilent to whole neigh
bofhood; while careful nursing and scientific
treatment may and will modify the type which
disease assumes, until IL entirely dies away,
o, becomts in time easily manageable by dis
Greet family nursing. .-PAi Ledger. 9lii O e1