The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-02-11

tie Judge, VI who y 1sppeediiy. c, convinced
them he had heard 6d' 4, more K, Of the
svidence than 'it:y they had. Judge Neil.
son 'is 1iii,i man Of ddts decided id ability and
p5iitive convictions. ,5dsit rs =. His ruling,
once given cannot be changed by ar
glment;; and though courteous in the
extreme to counsel, he is firm in re-
buking any effort on their part to
evade the regular rules Of legal prac-
tice.
->;-s.>, =. ----~--
DRHTHER1A.
AT meeting Of the Public Health
Association Of New York, Dec. 10,
1874, the cause, nature, history, and
proper treatment of diphtheria, were
discussed by the physicians present.
A paper read by DR.. Elisha Harris
brought forward evidence showing
that diphtheria is not new disease,
but, under various names, has been
known sinca the very dawn of medi-
cal science. -Four centuries ago it
was described IN Europe und der the
titles of"putrid sore throat" 'malig-
nant anglna," angina s.focative,1 p
etc: t was thi. disease. which car
red George Washington to the grave
il 1898. Upwards Of 100 years ago
it prevailed extensively in tho city
and colony Of New York.
The frst fatal case recorded under
its present sltef Z ii inha6mH6 6H6 occurred in New
York, Feb. 20, 1850 Before the
CLOSE Of theyeat, 80 deaths had 70
suited from the naslaay0 y0 in that city.
In 1858 and 1853, itsgain prevailed
in New York in mild form, but, in
January, 1850, IA deaths were, regis
tered in the Bureau of Vital Stats
tics, and the disease became epidemic,
and in certain localities exceedingly
malignant. The abstract from the
mortality Of the disease shows that,
from this t time i'm until 1854, diphtheria
had become a serious enemy to human
life in New York. In the spring of
1858 the disease appeared in Albany,
and :; 600 cases were recognized in
the first ten months Of its prevalence,
and 179 deaths were registered.
During all this period, not a case
occurred in Troy city only 7 miles
distant. During 1850 and 1851,
&phtheria prevailed as a local epi-
demic in many towns throughout the
Union;' and thedactr was gradually
acknowledged; that it was' i'm . Ger
tain>wsy, 1infsctisus?:' The: actual
deaths charged to the disease ii New
Ysrki in.1874' were, 'upato 'Dee. 10,
1885, jboinge5 ID in 1cesS Of tie mum.
Der 1egisteisd ina1873.::
"A papsrfread by DR.. Lewis Smith
caves a review. Of the cause 9anddatulr6e
Fof diphtheria. Themalaay:is :conta-
gious through ,exhalations' from the
surface and from tho breath Of the
patient. The theory is pretty clearly
substantiated that the! disease owes
its origin to the presence of bacteria,
small vegetable parasites. The
grayish-white spots that appear upon
inaamed surfaces at the. beginning
Of the disease are entirely CONF posed
of bacteria, which, if not prevented,
multiply rapidly, and, by burrowing
in the tissues infect the whole system.
This bacterian theory, developed by
microscopical Investigations is sup.
ported by the. fact that diphtheria
prevails most in localities favorable
to the development of low forms 81
animal and vegetable Life, as in crowd
ed and filthy rooms, and in low
grounds Confirmation Of the theory
is also found in I'll: 81 fact that the dis.
ease begins il. ! single spot and may
then be alsiill;;'e easily cured Il d 1t is only in
'later stages It ii1 that it Il becomes ! danger.
!ous mahady": " 13 But Drl:: Smith consid.
ers that si'i1a Il important 5itaai factof in thu
ptopag CATION ta51l Of tho : disease is = = pr
dispso1sing condition Of the isysteima''
Bacteria sometimes 1 1 1s "A; exists ii the u
mHoaspksre j. Without Il ia It producing; e; dipk:
etheTi&, Il and are even Il found sccasioh haf!
II III III the mouths I 81 we'll persons, 1dt;
when breathed, sometimes cause 10
injury to the lungs. These, @itR
other Z 'ctoni2sid Il 5ds ddssfations, indicate that
diphthe ;isi Is; in Il certain 4 s cases, CON
stitational Imalaay i i, Its its tcircdm.
stances, though in " the minority Of
instances ii; is primarily local., and
ouly subsequently constitutional.
when diphfheearii,aI 4. spreads from house
to house, or from room to room, it! is
|'never' carried BY the clothing, but by
the visits Of persons ii infected With it.
From these, facts il, is is obvious that,
in cases of diphtheria,; - there should
be an entire separation of the sick
from the wen. Children should be
especially protected from contact with
|;diphtheritiic patients. The same san-
itary precautions should also be
adopted in treating the. disease as in
dealing With low tsavet:rsI..' l.
b & r. - 4A.:s - ! A:-.- -
T -Pet4olssutithh is 70 abb ;a.badnd.ut Iii lin
tis Psnnsyl lah7a aGb aase ill di r1fiS6s that The
hisle a ~silss hka S6At he |;j p65ler 5 he is
likely to be. wellt edes Would odce
! haye y,+l1| brought W. t259, 600 are slow et
Fy15,H10, d snd one el; man n Ut Titusyille
VIC % h.d b an income, # 500, ,@0 % i i.
now o hardly worth R Ii. n bat. :" The he u.
ceeding snpArabundance Of, the =, bill