The New York herald., 1874-12-11
DIPH T H E r I A.
An Important Meeting of the
Public Health Association.
How to Check It's spread-Important Facts in
the History Of Diphtheria


Forty-nlnth street, between Madison and Fourth
avenues The subject under discussion was one
ef great interest-d phtheria. DR.. q. F. Chandler,
Chairman OF the Board OF Healrh presided, and
Or. A. B. Judson acted as secretary.
DR.. J. Lewis Smith read q paper on the "Causes
and Nature OF Diphtheria, with Review OF the
Bacterian Theory" He said that previous to the
time OF Bretonneau but very little was known OF
the causes and nature OF diphtherfa but In
his memoirs 1t was plainly shown that II had
. specific virus which was communicable from
person to person by incubation, and in no other
way. Bretonneau created an interest in the study
of this malady, which, kept alive by the recur-
renee OF frequent epidemics, continued undated,
and the result or clinical observations had been
not only to establish the doctrine Of contagious
ness by incubation or contact, but also to render
probable, indeed, nearly TO demonstrate. its con-
sagiousness
THROUGH THE BREATH OF THE PATIENT
and through exhalations from his surface, SO that
rs Aremeyer says, "diphthera should be classified
among infectious diseases and among those that
are most typicany contagious
Lately animals had been experimental upon
and thereby important results achieved. Those
who had taken the lead in this new line OF investi
CATION were Oesen Buhl and Hitter, OF Germany,
and others. They claimed to have discovered the
rcoplc vegetable parasites which had been desig-
mated ..bacteria.n These had been divided by
Cohn into iour genera, but only two OF these sls-
tanned q causal relation to d1phtneria-namelv
the ro-bacterium and the rod-iike bacte-
rum. In every tissue which was the seat OF
diphtheric Inflammation the spherical bacteria
occurred in Immense numbers, accompanied by
smaller number OF the other KIND. In severe
cases they also occurred In the blood. Ordinarily,
rs the disease increased in violence q gradual IN
crease In the number OF spherical bacteria could
be demonstrated by the microscope On the other
unA ha Afrht rfR m m 6sAn
peared these bacteria decreased In numbers and
other vegetable forms succeeded. In the very be.
upon the infamed surface consisted entirely OF
these bacteria, with eplthe.ial cells; whole fbrin
and pus appeared at later period.
REMARKS BY DIR. CURTIS
Or. Edward Curtis vas requested to make some
observations on the subject. He remarked that
the question OF the nature OF dlphtherla pre-
sented two important issues. In the first place
the question must be asked, what was the cause
OF the maladys The little organisms called bac-
teria we're undoubtedly present in the patients,
but 1t was stlll questionable whether they
were the causes or only the effect. the
yet fully decided the question. The other point,
the relation OF the external disease TO the conitu
tional Injection, was quite different matter. DR..
Ortel maintained that up to the development OF
the raise membrane the malady was always local
grew TO be CONSTITUTIONAL. However, the PROPOSE
non had not been positively proven. In many
clinical cases it had been found that
the general constitutional disturbance. The KID
ney was generally greatly affected by the local
disease. Or. Curtis then spoke at length OF the
deaths OF animals, which were generally carried
OF far more rapidly than children, and based
some ingenious reasoning on this Iact However,
snere was yet great deal being done In the in
vestlgation oi the causes and the nature OF the
nalady.
HOW TO CHECK THE DISEASE
After sundry remarks by various gentlemen
present, DR.. George Bayles presented some inter
Dipnsneria.a DR.. Bayles @ pre- prefaced MS views by W
Ailuding TO the many difficulties In the way OF
successfully coping with the malady II mad now %
use oil the highest energies The hospital plan Tor
the purpose OF isolsting the patients was failure
could by no means be separated from their
parents. He inclined to the belief tnat the diph-
ing Influences Of pure atmosphsre. &C. How
could the necessary isolation be e1ected? Only
oy looking TO the Board o. Health % or tne 'u exer
ganization or stan OF inspectors VINO were TO
attack at once every case OF diphtheria. Every
house should be placed, as IL were, In state OF
siege. The patient should be carried up to the
highest story, where he could be most ef1ectually
house. The Health Department could furnish It's
own medicines and feed the poor sick at the ex-
pense Of the municipal government rn AZ a. the Inc
houses In which Giphtheria could be found, and
yet some fifty or sixty deaths ensued every month
The expense OF the special physicians nurses, &c.
would be very insignificant as compared with the
enectual check OF the disease which might be ac-
complisned by the adoption OF this plan. The CO.
operation OF voluntary nurses should be enlisted
Also OF all those who had the health OF the city at
heart
THE HISTORY OF DIPHrHERIA.
Or. Elisha Harris, Registrar OF Vital Statistics
gave some interesting facts in the history OF
ease was a very old one and had been known here
as the 'putrld sore throat" the malignant
augina,n &C., since the first colonization Of the
Continent However, 1t was not important TO
search these old records. The first iatai case
registered under the name Of diphtheria in New
YORK city treated by DR.. William Madwel,
and occurred on February 20, 1859 Before
the year was over more than fifty
cases Of dlphtheria had appeared. Until near the
this disease, but at that Time physicians all over
New YORK began to note the spread OF the peculiar
symptoms Of this disease. In 1868 there were over
300 cases OF death from phtheria, which was the
highest figure it mad reached uutil then. Then
there was a decrease until 1873, when the fatal
cases OF diDngherla numbered over l,l00.
Dr. Day, the Sanitary superintendent, showed
map exhibiting the progress OF the epidemic dur
ing the last TWO months and the meeting then ad-
Journed.
A Meeting at the Eastern Dispensary.
Yesterday noon a full meeting OF the Medical
Board OF the Eastern Dispensary, Grand and
Essex streets, was held, with special refer
ence to diphtheria. Among the medical gen.
tlemen present were Drs. John p. Garrish, Thomas
C. F1nnell, A. A. Davis John D. Granpet, r. J.
OSunvan, Purcell, Fuer- Walker, Mulvany,
Henry Raphael Pilgrim and others.
DR.. Fuller Walker, Secretary OF the Board,
opened the discussion. he said that in connec-
sion with our public schools he would abandon
the use OF basement rooms cut on from sunlight
and fresh air. He would have IL somebody's bust.
ness to that The children were properly
clothed and protected from the cold. He agreed
with DR.. Davis and DR.. Garrisn that dlpntherla IS
contagious ana noats In the atmosphere. In the
winter oil 1912 he saw much dlphtnerla In the
Valley OF Lake Champain and the Adirondack
Mountain region. Inc country was well drained,
the people had good houses and lived well, yet
diph iberia ragged iearluily on the mountains and
IN the valleys.
DR.. r. J. OSullivan, President OF the Board SAID
we should strive TO ascertain the predlsposinR
causes OF dphtheria He spoke OF defective drain
age, the unsanitary condition OF tenement houses,
and insisted that our schools should have medical
inspection. He thought many diseases owe their
origin 10 the depression OF the times. There Is
much debility, continued fever and blood poison
ing. The profession should be ready TO meet the
causes wherever found. The Board OF Health and
the Board or Education should work
together, and cases oil dipntheria should oe
Isolated. lie knew OF no body OF men
aut of N he ~ n