Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-02-11
DIPHTHERT1.

AT meeting of the Public Health As
ISOLATION of New York, Dec. 10, 1874, the
cause, nature, history and proper treat
ment of diphtheria were discussed by the
physicians present. A paper read by DR..
Elisha Harris brought forward evidence
showing that diphtheria is not new dis
ease, but, under various names, has been
known since the very dawn of medical sci
ence. -Four centuries ago it was described
In Europe under the titles of "putrid sore
throat, malignant angina" ''angina
suffOcative," etc. 1t was this disease
which carried George Washington to the
grave in 1893. Upwards of 100 years
ago it prevailed extensively in the city
and colony of New York.
The first fatal case recorded under its
present name occurred In New York,
Feb. 20, 1850. Before the close OF the
year, fifty-three deaths had resulted from
the malady in that city. In 1858 and 1859,
it again prevailed in New York in a mild
form, but, in January, 1850, fourteen
deaths were registered In the Bureau of
Vital Statistics, and the disease became
epidemic, and In certain localities very
malignant The abstract from the NOR
tally of the disease shows that, from
this time until 1864 diphtheria has become
a serious enemy to human life in New
York. In the spring Of 1858 the disease
appeared in Albany, and :, 900 cases were
recognized in the first ten months of its
prevalence, and I79 deaths were regis
tered. During all this period, not case
occurred in Troy city cnly seven miles
distant. During 1860 anil 1861, diphthe-
MA prevailed as local epidemic in
many towns throughout the Union; and
the fact was gradually acknowledged that
1t was, i'll certain way, Infectious The ac-
tual deaths charged to the disease in New
York in 1914 were. up to Esec 10, 1866
being 514 in excess of the number regis
tered in 1873.
A paper read by Dr. Lewis Smith gave
"A review of the cause and nature of diph-
iberia. The malahy is contagious through
exhalations from the surface and from
the breath of the patient. The theory is
pretty clearly s,Ibstantiated that the dis
ease ows it's ORIGIN to the presence Of h1c
tSnius- small vegetable parasites The
spots that appear upon in
famed surfaces at the beginning of the
disease are entirely composed of bacteria,
which, if not prevented. Multiply rapid
~. and, by borrowing In fhe tissues, in
feet the whole system The bacterian
theory, developed by microscopic myes
6gation, is supported by the fact that
prevails most In localities favor
able to the development Of low forms of
animal and vegetable ifey Us In crowded
md filthy reoms,. and IN low grounds
Of the theory Is also found
in the fact that the disease begins in a
single spot and may then be easily cured.
Il is only liz later stages that it becomes
a dangerous malady. But DIR. Smith
that an imposant factor in the
propagation of the disease Is a predis-
posing condition of the system Bacteria
exist III tie atmosphere with
out producing diphtheria, and are even
found occasionally I'D the mouths of well
persons, and, when breathed, sometimes
cause mo- injury to the lungs, These,
with other considerations, indicate that
diphtheria is, in certain cases, constitu-
tional malady Ia its circumstances,
though in the majority of instances it is
local, and only subsequently
When diphsheria spreads
from house to. house, or from room to
room- it is never carried by the clothing,
but by the visits of persons infected
with it.
Prom these facts it is obvious that, in
cases of dipAtheria, there should be an
entire separation of the sick from the well.
Children should be especially protected
from contact with diphtheritic patients.
The same sanitary precautions should
also be adopted in treating the disease as
in dealing with low feyers.