The New York herald., 1874-11-02
DIPHTHERIA.
The Alarming Progress of this
Contagious Malady.
FIFTY DEATHS IN The PAST WEEK.
An Interesting Interview With Prominent
Physician, Showing the Best Method
of Treatment and the Sim
plest Preventives.

The recent reports of the Board OF Health show
rather alarming figures In regard to diphtheria,
and as prevention is better than cure. 1t would
not be unwise II some OF the readers OF the
HERALD were to take lew necessary precautions
to alay the spread OF this destroying contaRion
Old and young are IN danger, but more especially
children between the age OF four and fifteen.
THE CAUSES or pIPHrHERA
are chiefly want OF proper nourishment, pure air,
&C. DR.. Trousseau says OF the disease :-"When
saw dipnrherIa prevailing AZ an epidemic in Tours
thought that the position Of the city, which is
situated IN the midst OF valley watered by two
rivers, had some influence upon the development
OF the disease, and attributed, like almost every
body else, the cause OF this formidable affection
to cold, and especially to humidity; but on glanc-
ing over historical documents soon became con-
vinced that these supposed local causes could be
considered ut most only as accessories, and
after had myself made some statistical
and comparative observations in four de-
partments where the disease had pre-
sented itself IN an epidemic form and was
dreaaully destructive. became certain that
diphtheria did not depend either on seasons or
localities. Thus, In some towns remarkable ior
their salubrity. diphtherla ragged with excessive
violence, while some villages situated In the
midst OF marshes remained exempt rom the
scourge. 1t must be admitted that misery II not
an exclusive condition was at least rather an or
dinary one OF the development Of diphthera, tor 1t
was evident that the epidemic seized upon the
poor inhabitants IN preference to those VINO were
In easy circumstances. COntag0n performs the
principal part in the propagation OF dipnthera and
1t Is nearly sufficient Tor patient attacked with
dipntheria to come into family In order that the
disease should develop itself in all It's FORMS" 1t s
evident from the above and the statistics OF the
Board or Health that the
BEST PREvENTIvEs
to this disease are cleanliness, frequent bathing,
necessary dwell ON the danger OF diphthera, but
what renders 1t especially dangerous Is the
rapid,ty with which it may attack large surfaces,
as well as the mechanical obstacles which it may
offer to one OF the most important functions OF
lie and the 0bstnacy with which 1t ressts the ther
apeutical resources which generally modify otner
innammauons. Thus, although It is generally not
very dangerous to the skin 1t becomes so when 1t
attacks the mouth and the nasal fossm, but it Is
most frequently fatal when 1t attacks the pharynx,
and, unless 1t Is Immediately attended to, It
scarcely ever spares the patient when It has once
reached the lArynx AID the bronchial tubes.
Diphthe ria Is at present alarmingy prevalent
In this city, and appears to ravage the crowded
districts The victims for the most part have been
children, residents OF close, confined tenement
houses and attending public schools. The very
greatest ca7tiOn should be used to prevent the
spread Of this coniagton, and Immediately the
nature OF the disease Is aScertained the patient
should be strictly confined and kept apart from
other human beings. The following sratiStlcs will
give some idea or the rapid increase OF tnis con-
tagion and how important 1t Is that steps should
be Immediately taken to arrest its iurther prog
ress. Tne table explains the mortality IN the past
few weeks:-