The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-12
DIPHrHERA

-" - AAOObAAAe5 VA OAAO \ 0OA3C 24Cth1A44 ZAc-
sociation 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 DIR.
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, &C malignant angina" "angina
suffocative,'' etc. It was this disease
which carried George Washington to the
grave in 1899. 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 q mild
form, but, in January, 1860, 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
tality of the disease shows that. from
this time until 1864, diphtheria has become
serious enemy to human life in New
York. In the spring of 1858 the disease
appeared in Albany, and 2, 200 cases were
recognized in the first ten months of its
prevalence, and 179 deaths were regis
tered. During all this period, not a case
occurred in Troy, a city only seven miles
distant. During 1860 and 1861, diphthe-
ria prevailed as local epidemic in
many towns throughout the Union; and
the fact was gradually acknowledged that
lit was, in certain way, infectious. Theac-
Iltual deaths charged to the disease in New
York in 1874 were, up to Dec. 10, 1865
being 514 in excess of the number regis
tered in 1878.
! A paper read by DR.. Lewis Smith gave
a review of the cause and nature of diph-
liberia. The malady is contagious through
exhalations from the surface and from
the breath of the patient. The theory is
pretty clearly substantiated that the dis
ease ows its origin to the presence Of boc
terio,-sman vegetable parasites. The
grayish-white spots that appear upon in
famed surfaces at the beginning of the
disease are entirely composed of bacteria,
which, if not prevented, multiply rapid
ly, and, by burrowing in the tissues, in
feet the whole system. The bacterian
theory, developed by microscopic inves-
tigation, is supported by the fact that
diphtheria prevails most in localities favor
able to the development of low forms of
animal and vegetable life, as in crowded
and filthy rooms, and in low grounds.
Confirmation of the theory is also found
in the fact that the disease begins in q
single spot, and may then be easily cured.
It is only in later stages that it becomes
q dangerous malady. But DIR. Smith
considers that an important factor in the
propagation of the disease is a predis-
posing condition of the system. Bacteria
sometimes exist in the atmosphere with
out producing diphtheria, and are even
found occasionally in the mouths of well
persons, and, when breathed, sometimes
cause no injury to the lungs. These,
with other considerations, indicate that
diphtheria is, in certain cases, constitu-
tional malady in it's circumstances,
though in the majority of instances it is
primarily local, and only subsequently
constitutional. When diphtheria 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.
| &C., ~ oID~
cases of diphtheria, 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 fevers.
| FRENCH WORDS WRONGLY USED.
The French words constantly used In
English are often used wrongly. It
would be interesting to know the origin
of our habit of calling out encore when
we wish to hear a piece of music over
again. It is just possible that in some
bygone age the French may have done
this, but certainly no living being ever
heard q Frenchman call out anything but
tsbis" on these occasions. Then we
have adopted the French word morale;
but it Is never used by Englishmen,
never even by the most learned histo-
rians, without blunder. The learned
historians say, for example, "Welling-
ton was now determined to carry on the
war a routrGnce, and the morale of his
army was excellent. Z" Both these ex-
pressions are blunders. a eoutrassce is
bad French; it ought to be a osstrance;;
but morale used in this sense is still
worse. It is hardly possible to imagine
more absurd mistake, and yet it is
universally prevalent among English
writer's. The historians mean to say
g the moral of the army was excellent, .
or, in plain English, that the menIwere in
cheerfully resolute temper; whereas, to
say that the morale of an army is good is
to affirm that its theories of morality are