Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-02-09
scarlet Fever ana DIph,herla.

scarlet Fever ana DiphtherIa.
Dir. q. b. Beebec Of Chicago has COM
municated to the Tribune of that city
very interesting article in regard TO the
chie by newly discovered remedies OF
those terribly destructive infantile diseases,
diphtheria aud scarlet foyer. II Is only In
recent years that the fact has been eslab-
lished that these diseases are very conla-
gious; and scarcely anything has been
known as TO the processes by which the
contagion is disseminated. The laOors of
Pasteur, the learned French investigator,
who, with the aid of the microscope, was
able TO demonstrate that the toruld, or
yeast plant, upon which The fermentation
OF bread and beer depends, is vegetable
growth, from germs or seeds planted ana
springiug up as in other forms of vegetable
life, appear TO have given the first clue TO
these Investigations, which seem TO prom
Use an ability TO the medical faculty for the
first time 10 cope successfully with these
formidable diseases. by another series of
experiments, under microscopic scrutiny,
it has been found that moist animal tissue,
exposed TO the atmosphere, would in two
or three days undergo purtiacIon, the mi
croscope revealing, at the same time, the
presence Of minute living organisms capa-
bic of motion and reproduction. These or
ganisms appeared in every sample of the
animal matter exposed to the ordinary at
mosphere, but never where the atmosphere
in which they were exposed had been de-
al nf a11 Hpatiuv ari i1lae nf Insf thro
proving that the seal or germs Of these mi
mute organisms of animal life float in the
air, and are sown in animal matter expos
cd for their reception. The next step in
the progress Of investigation was made by
a German named Koch, who carefully
studied disease which in Russia and
Eastern Europe was known as splenic fe-
yer, and proved very destructive. By the
microscope he discovered in the blood of
those afflicted with this disease, living par
asites in great numbers, which rapidly de-
veloped within their bodies seed-germs
which, when introduced into the blood OF a
living animal would reproduce the para
site and develop the disease. A parallel
line Of thought and investigation in regard
TO other diseases seems at last TO have dem
onstrated the fact, according 10 DR.. Beebees
statement, that diphtheria and scarlet fe-
yer, diseases in which the blood and fluids
of the body border closely upon putridity,
are induced and propagated by these intin-
itesimal germs. The next point was how
10 destroy those germs of disease when
they found lodgment in patient; and the
discovery appears to have been made that
sulphile Of soda, which has long been
known as powerful disinGectant and as
possessing the property of destroying as If
by magic the germs of the yeast plant that
induce fermentation, would destroy The
germs of these uoxious parasites which in
duce such fatal disorders. Although read
lily soluble, the sulphate lacked energy 10
render 1t at all times effective, and al last
it was discovered that its combination with
carboic acid, a more powerful anliseptic,
would do the work. Combined, the article
il called the sulpho-carbolate Of soda. II
is odorless and has no unpleasant taste, and
the statement is after lis use in hundreds
of cases, that by its administration the
blood and tissue of the human body may
be thoroughly 1isinfected without excit-
ing any toxic (poisonous) effect by the
dose. So much for theory and now for
the practical results, as cited in the COM
munication referred TO. At Montague,
Mich, the present winter, the scarlet fever
prevailed as an epidemic, and 40 children
died. But in the families of James Dalton
and three or four of his neighbors, includ-
ing nineteen children, where the sulpho-
carbolate was used as a preventive, all
escaped the disease, and no other families
had the like good fortune. At Maplewood,
one of tho suburbs of Chicago, the scarlet
fever made severe inroads upon many fam
lilies, but four or five families in the midst
of the epidemic influence, enjoyed entire
immunity by using the medicine as PFC
ventive. From Toledo, Ind, where, in
the beginning OF winter, diphtheria pre-
vailed to an alarming extent, and the ply
sicians were powerless, father ola family
writes under date of Jan. Is, that the use OF
the remedy "had fulfilled all expeditions
MS a preventive of the dread disease" In
concluding his long and carefully prepared
statement, DR.. Beebee says "these exam
pies could be multiplied I'D li6itum but
enough, perhaps, has been said TO indicate
at least that this agent Is worth still more
extended application, and earnestly COM
mend ii to the attention of the boards of
health in all our large cities. In bringing
forward this mode OF treatment 1 give it
first 10 the profession and ailerward 10 the
public, desiring that my name should APP
pear only SO far as it might commend the
-.
me-"