The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-25
lLooK OUT FOR DrrHrHERIA.-The Wells,

Hook OUT FOR DrpHTHERIA.-The Wells.
burg Herald reports that
"There ia disposition toward diphthe-
ria, among the children in this vicinity.
In some sections, not very remote, 1t has
been very yirulent OF late, and a reason
able amount Of watchfulness and care by
heads Of families, will not be out Of or
der"
We see it stated that some forty child.
rem, nearly all under the age OF ten years,
have been carried away from Waynes-
burg, Pa, in the past three months, by
diphtheria. Ten deaths occurred in the
town week before last, and the public
schools have been closed for two months
on account Of the epidemic.
The last Charleston (Kanawha co.,
Journal reports quite mortality in Elk
district in that county from this dread.
full disease. So general and fearful have
become its rayages that it is we'll for
parents to know how to detect It and
treat 1t intelligently. As a rule, the first
and most important step is to seek good
medical advice without delay, but this,
Of course, is not always possible. The
next best thing is to deal with the disease
as laid down in the following remarks on
Diphtheria.
The principal remedies are Chlorate OF
Potassa, used internally, and mixture Of
spirits turpentine and spirits camphor as
an external application.
For the sake Of convenience, the Chic.
rate Of Potash Is put up in packages Of
thirty grains each. One OF these pack.
ages Is dissolved in thirty teaspoonfuls Of
water, so that each teaspoonfnl Of the so.
luton contains one grain OF the potaSsa.
The dose Of the mixture thus made is
from one to six teaspoonfuls, according
to the age OF the patient; thus child
from two to Eve years Of age, may take
three teaspoonfuls; from five to twelve,
four teaspoonfuls; from twelve 10 fifteen
and upwards, FIVE or six teaspoonfuls.
In order to have It fresh and more
palatable, a smaller quantity may be
mixed at a time, but in the came proper.
ton.
II should be given regularly every
hour, day. and night, awaking the pa.
tient from sleep, II necessary, in order to
give II. As the throat improves, the
doses may gradually be made smaller.
Gargles do not reach the diseased part,
and are, therefore, Of little service.
hopping or burning the throat with
strong caustics, Is decidedly injurious,
and ought not to be practiced.
AS an external application, the spirits
turpentine and spirits camphor In equal
parts, should be rubbed on the throat and
sides OF the neck, close under the jaws,
ten or twelve times In the twenty.four
hours. The throat should not be wrapped
up after rubbing, as that would intiame
the surface to such an extent that the pa
tent would not be able to bear It's contin-
ued use, which should not be neglected,
the object being not alone to procure Its
counter irritant effects, but that it may
penetrate and loosen, or detach, the white
coating or false membrane which lines the
throat. In short, by the use Of the chic
rate OF POTASH, and the turpentine mix
ture, the poison In the system, which
causes the diphtheritic coating, is de.
stroyed and healthy secretions are
aroused, which poured beneath the false
membrane, separate or remove II, leaving
the surface in a healthy condition.
As there is frequently considerable
fever with headache and aching Of the
limbs, a small dose Of some saline cathar.
tic, such as EPSON or Rochelle Salts, or
seidlitz Powder, Just enough to move the
bowels gently, should be given. Calemel,
which has very properly been called the
king Of medicines, has been found to be
wholly unsuitable In this disease-i.s ef.
fec,s being too depressing.
In severe cases attended with great
prostration, especially when the fever Is
abating, the tincture muriate Of iron in
doses Of from two TO ten drops, according
to the age Of the patient, may be given
In little water every four or Eve hours.
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