The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-01

0seO =
Sanford infAs prasaies Of surssv and
the supervision u - Ksoklk In
Urinary. He has had lazes sxpsr;sncs,
andis IN eaznssl, talsatsd and suc.
cessfhl worker in his pso6ssnional Geld, ii
tho noble ~ and science Of hsaling. Thil
trsatse pespared With svidsat cass and
much rsssarch, vim doubtless b Of much
utility . tho profession IN tho West. III,
subject i arEaysd for considsrsaioa, = fol
lows: Whist i Diphtheriai-Its PatAoloC
and SemeioloU; Whether Contagious; and
it, Treatment with three interesting cases O
Tracheotomy. performed By Dr.. Curtis. The
following concerning the origin Of Diphtheri,
will be interesting to non professional Is vel
n professional readers
Returning to the subject of diphther;a. VI
regard 1t as contagious and infectious dis.
ease, for the same reason that We regard
variola and scarlatina as contagious and n
fictitious. By these terms, we mean I disease
that has the power of communicating itseli
from an individual in whom il exists ia
another individual who may be healthy: or,
in other words, has the power Of inducing, in
. healthy organization, the same abnormal
motion operating in the organization affected
by it. This mode Of propagation of disease is
called zymosis; and the diseases SO original
ing are termed xymotic diseases. Among
them are included all that are contagious OF
infections. The zymotic process can only be
satisfactorily understood and explained on
the great principle enunciated by Liebig, as
ole of the laws governing organic matter, and
which was long since proposed by La Place
and Bertholet, that "a molecute set in mo-
ton by any power can impart its own motion
to another molecule with which it may be in
contact
This is . law of dynamics, the ope Grafton
of which is manifest in all cases, in which the
resistance (force, affinity, or cohesion OPP
posed 70 the motion Is not sufficient To over.
come it.
"But through what agency are these un.
natural and unhealthy motions first established
in organic matter? This is, perhaps, one Of
the most difficult questions Of science; but
analogy, which is perhaps our safest guide,
would lead US to believe that they take their
origin in some Of the forms of animal and
vegetable decomposition the Just equilib-
rum, which should exist between the vital
and chemical forces acting within the mole
cules OF certain organic compound, is dis.
turbed not sufficiently to entirely decom-
pose, but to pervert and change their motion
and thus new motion is developed, which
has the power to establish itself in other
molecules with which it may by any means
come in contact; providing, always, these
other molecules have not sufficient cohesive
force to overcome it.
1.-The various forms Of fermentation, the
action of the rennet of the calf on milk, the
| action Of yeast on gluten, and on sugar, are
| examples of this inductive or zymotic prop
erty; 80, also, is the effect of animal poisons,
- the products Of decomposing blood, pus,
or other animal tissues, as illustrated in dis
section wounds, where the decomposing mat
ter is brought in contact with the healthy It's
sues, and develops in them its own perverted
| and abnormal motion or change. The same
law is illustrated in the we'll known property
Of decaying wood inducing decomposition in
sound wood with which it may be in contact
The poisonous properties of miasms and
gaseous carnations from decomposing ami
NAL and vegetable matter, in great meas.
ure, owe their virulence to this inductive or
zymotic property.
"ln this way, it is probable, diphtheria
originates. A molecule of organic matter,
having. peculiar motion, by some means,
through the air or otherwise, becomes lodged
upon the lining membrane Of the pharynx OF
tonsils; and there, amid the delicate mucous
cells, begins to induce its own peculiar mo-
ton, resulting in specific changes and devel-
oplng specific products.
These products and changes, being unnatu.
raj and foreign, become source of irritation,
which is followed by inflammation. The NOR
bid action, continuing to extend and increase,
soon involves the membranes of the larynx
and trachea; the air passages become OBJ
structed by the products of inflammation, which
is the result of specific irritation, produced
BY perverted motion and function and which
inflammation must necessarily resemble, in
many respects, that of the same parts result.
ing from any other cause. The blood par
takes OF the perverted motion. or zymot il
change, and conveys it to every part of ths
organization, thus affecting the muscles
glands, and cerebro spinal nervous centres
This is proved by the tendency to typhoid
the distinctly adynamic character of the dis
ease, and the all pervading symptoms Of con
stitutional blood poisoning, as illustrated BY
the development Of the diphtheritic mem
brane on the various mucuous and cutane ou
surfaces, which could not. perhaps, be ex
planned in any other way"
| The ELEcrIc for May, is received. contain
ing portrait of DR.. Livingston, the African
traveller, and the usual amount Of judicious
y selected and sterling literary articles.
ADVERTISING pays. We have tried it. l
was successful. We intend to advertise here
after. The way of it was thus. There wa
: qnadruped, . small dog, tarrier Tha
dog vas not ours; no, nor the property o
any one within our establishment. Since til,
shocking and much lamented death of So
phronia, the feline delight Of this institution
| We have not set our affections on feline O
canine pets. This dog was the property of
young lady. Il Vas the cunningest and Gu
test aud most loveable Of it kind. Younl
lady was much sstached to it. It vas, as v.
have said, tarrier. Naturally took t
s rats " apd mice Sensible dog. twa.
imported. Hame from distant part Of tn.
country. Shortly after its arrival that dos
disappeared and grief came unto the owner
II had gone, vamosed, len. Sick ct heart an
advertisement vas penned; hoping agains'
hope it vas Published; JOY Of joys it discov.
cred the lost quadruped. Within four hours,
fifteen minutes and ten seconds from the
time We thus notified the world Of the loss,
we received news of the whereabouts Of said
tarrier dog. Unsophisticated animal! With