The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1877-12-20
Msefal aud Curious.
DIPaaTMERRA
A Csre WhSeh Has A8assa WHOLLY Rene we'd
de Fatality Of the Disease.

| die Fatality Of the Disease.
| Dr. Z. " Chapman. of Brooklyn, n. Y. has dis
covere antidote to the poison of diphtheria, by
which the Percentage Of deaths i. reduced to less
age of recoveries in treated under the usual
practice is about thirteen eighty-seven of hun
| dred sufferers succumb TO the fell disease
Diphthera first appeared in this country in ls5S.
Dr. Chapman. in 1888 lost several eases, and became
distrisfui Of the regular methods. He had been
ing alcohol in the OF shipfeycr. and he deter
mined. though contrary to all rules to try it in dph-
liberia. To his surprise several of his patients reeoy
cred He then tried Iuna. and found it acted well
but not quickly. At last he settled combination
of the two, alcohol and quinia. and with these
dies he claims that diph,heria is amenable TO
treatment than many common diseases. In "a. an ep.
bific agent but few only yield to il. Mature Wig
persons have vitality enough to resist the dis
ease. Children and adults are its usual subjects.
Dr. Chapman considers that there is almost always,
super-idded local direct exciting such de-
fecfive exercise improper diet. dark rooms, damp
houses imperfect ventilation. and poisonous emana
tons from dceomposng filth in privies cesspoos,
sewer pipes. To such agencies the strongest
stitution will suecumb. The blood being dete-
rorated its crasis Is impaired and its vitality lower
ed and then the sympathetic nerves, failing TO re-
ceive dine stimulus, in their efforts to carry
the animal functions.
"Ali local treatment, he says, 'is worse than
less. II exhausts the force and induces greater
injection of the blood vessels. thus favoring the
dati0n.
alcohol neutralizes the diphthertic poison, sets
free the of animal life subues the fever and
inflammation, destroys the pabulum that sustains the
membrane, cuts short the disease, eonquers its
quela. and shields other members of the family from
attack. Upon the subsistence of the fever. as is
usually the ease, in from "a to Sc hours, puruent
secretion begins to loosen the membrane, and soon
thereafter. to deaeh it in faky, ragged fragments
This process may take place, and recovery be posi-
BILE, when the larynx and the trachea impli
Gated. The membrane is seldom renewed, when this
secretion is maintained by steady of the RENE
dy Alcohol is antagonstic to diphtheria as bella
donna to opium, quina to malaria. Like any 9th
er antote, it must be given promptly at the outset
or otherwise its potency will be lessened, perhaps
lost altogether.
"Aleohol does not act stimulant. nor induce
any of its ordinary effects. Enough may be given to
profound intOxcaton in health, and yet there
exist no signs excitement OslOr in the breath
Quinia is an efficient alloy to alcohol 1t energies
the ganglOnic system, and thus enables the organism
to right itself and resume its functions.
DIR. Chapman sustains his position by citing numer-
GUS eases in which this treatment was successful He
states that in his long experience he only knew of one
case where a drunkard had diphtheria He general
ly gives the alcohol in the form of whskey.-.Seen-
ifc iBteriedn.