The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-12-08
DIPTHERIA.

Diptheria was almost an unknown disease
twenty years ego. To-day it has nearly as
sumed the proportions of an epidemic in this
city and in neighboring towns. 1t attacks
adults as we'll as children, but it's ravages are
chiefly among the young and feeble. The
dread which parents formerly felt of scarlet
fever has given place to the dread of dipthe-
ria, and the rapid and fatal character of the
disease makes it more formidable than any
other of the diseases to which children are
peculiarly liable.
1t is sufficiently we'll established that dip
liberia originates, at least in very many in
stances, from defective drainage and sewer
gas. The poisoned air and polluted water,
which are the conceded causes of typhoid
fever, are equally fatal in developing dpthe-
ria. The most obvious precautions against
the disease are, then, to avoid damp and
badly drained localities, and to protect our
houses from Sewer.gas The latter object
can be accomplished with certainty, and at
comparatively small expense. 1t is only
necessary to place large water trap in the
drain connecting the waste-pipes of the
house with the sewer, and to run ventilat-
ing pipe from the side of the trap nearest
the house to the roof. Whatever gas may
force its way through this trap will escape
by the ventilatinapipe, since the small trap
beneath the washstand will afford greater
resistance to the gas than is offered by the
column of air in the ventilator. Without
the large trap and the yentilating pipe those
small traps are nearly worthless, and those
who rely upon them alone for protection
should understand that they are in constant
danger of the whole class of diseases which
have their origin in the poisoning Of the
system by sewer-gas.
Diptheria is not difficult disease to COM
bat when it is treated in time The distinc-
tive feature of it is the formation of false
membrane in the throat. This makes its
appearance in nearly all cases in the shape
of grayish brown patches; and hence it is
of the utmost Importance to watch closely
the tbroats of children who are apparently
i'll with cold and sore throat. Usually there
is fever and prostratioD in the early stages
of the disease; though in rare instances the
false membrane is formed suddenly and al
most without warning. If the throats of
ailing children are frequently examined,
there will be little danger that parents will
mistake incpient diptheria for an ordinary
cold. Scores of children have died of dip
liberia who would undoubtedly be now alive
had the grayish brown patches in the throat
been discovered at their first appearance,
and competent physician been summoned.
Why the disease should have been so rare
a score of years ago it is impossible to say.
There are, however, abundance causes for
it's prevalence now. Sewer gas is silently
doing its deadly work of poisoning thousands
of families in this city. In the suburbs,
damp cellars, and the neighborhood of ma
Iarious marshes do their share in the slaugh-
ter of those who have not constitutions of
cast iron. Diptheria is disgrace to any
community, since its prevalence in the shape
of an epidemic means a gross violation of
sanitary rules. Let US cut off the sewer-gas
from access to our houses, and watch with
vigilance the symptoms of children who COM
plain of fever and sore throat. By so doing
the roll of deaths from this dreaded disease
can be greatly diminished, aud with the pro-
gress of sanitary science, it may ultimately
be banished forever.--NeW York Times.