Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-09-11
From the Port Townsend Message. I
Diptheria.

Diptheria.
The occurrence of cases of diptheria in
this vicinity, our imperfect means of com.
munication, and the consequent difficulty
of obtaining medical aid when it is most
needed and may be the most effcctual,
have induced the writer to compile into
popular form few facts in relation to the
disease. The absence, in this community,
of any medical journal, with anything like
a general circulation, renders it necessary
to use the columns Of the local press to &C.
complish the purpose intended.
The preservation oflife, or even the most
Temporary relief from sufering-the Civ
ing Of moments comfort to one in pain,
is the hope which suggested and deter
mined the writer's action. How it may
be received has not entered into his
thoughts, or governed his conduct, but
what it may do?
1t is within the memory Of many Of US,
the time when dipthcria, as it now seems
to occur, was unknown. Take any of the
older medical works now in use and the
distinction made between it and membran-
Gus Group, is so slight as to warrant the
similarity of treatment pursued. To-day,
no two diseases are much more clearly dis
tinguished and more differently treated.
1t might be doubted by some whether
our knowledge of the disease was really
better than formally; whether the distinc-
tions so lately made, the differences now
detected, were not the rcfincments of a
time when delicate distinctions were fash
ionablc; but the results of late discover
les, when carried out in practice, prove
clearly their truth, the percentage of deaths
being less than half what they were for
merly, when it was supposed that dipther-
ia was simply throat disease. This is
the first thing to be understood, the first
distinction to be made, that diptheria is a
disease of the whole system. The throat
symptoms, as in scarlet fever and small
pox, arc simply local manifestations of the
disease. The main symptom of diptheria
in the popular mind is the presence of u
false membrane in the throat. Rcsem-
bling in this rcspcctccrtai forms of Group,
it is not surprising that these diseases are
conf3undcd, and even after they were dis
tin.uishcd from each other, that both were
considered simply local diseases. Many
late discoveries, however, prove its general
character.
1t is needless to mention all Of them.
The more important arc, the presence of
albumcn in the urine, the occurrence of
fbrinous exudatons on abrasions in any
part of the body, frequent paralysis. after
the throat has apparently recovered, and
the general febrilc symptoms occurring
when the poison is first imbibcd into the
system. These are sometimes severe, in
other cases scarcely perceptible. This
primary fever alone may cause the death of
the patient, the throat being comparative
ly but slightly involved. The symptoms
in such cases are we'll known to medical
men as classed under the general head of
blood poisoning (and so we have ventured
tospcak Of the poison being imbued into
the system) being marked by excessive
prostration, rapid sinking, frequent feeble
pulse, low muttcring delirium and tenden-
cy of all the mucus membranes to give way
and break down, as shown by their slough
ing and bleeding. Purple spots often ap-
pear scattered over the body, showing a
disintegration or separation Of the compo-
nent parts of the blood itself
But the important question at home, in
the family circle, to the anxious mother, is
not answered by any comparison of the
disease with other diseases, or statements
as to what we used to think and what we
now know, of its general character. The
constant inquiries made are, how shall we
know and what shall we do for case of
diptheria What are the initiatory symp.
toms =? What the dangers and how are
they to be met!
The primary symptoms are not distinctly
marked. As we have already said, they
are generally known to medical men as
those of blood poisoning. Commencing
with heavy languid feeling, then slight
chills occurring it may be only on expos
ure to draught Of air, with intervening
flashes Of fever. The cheeks are one mo-
ment flushed as with hectic, and the next
almost natural in color. A little dusky hue
may however, be usually detected in the
complexion marking the workings Of the
subtitle poison. Headache is one of the
first symptoms, variable in its severity, in
some cases constant, in others only occur
ring when the fever is on.
The urine is diminished in quantity, in
color being but little darker than natur-
al, its specific gravity is however greatly
increased. Pains in the back and limbs
are complained of more by adults than
children. These first symptoms may con-
tiuue without much change for several
days, or they may be increased in severity
from the first moment, becoming SO aggra-
vatcd that the blood losses its life-sustain-
ing power. The circulation goes on, but
strength is not sustained and none Of the
functions Of the body hoalthfully per-
formed. If death oe caused by the fever
(or to speak moro truly, by the blood
poisoning Of which the fever is the exter.
nal maniiestation), it will come on as de-
scribed. Next to the febrile symptoms al