Daily globe., 1878-07-21
The History Of Diphth eria.

I read the notice with a sigh.
The History of Diphth eria.
Diphtheria is believed to nave origi-
mated in Egypt, more than two thousand
(2,000) years ago. 1t prevailed in Egypt
and Asia Minor, to which it extended,
during the first five hundred years, and
hence was early called Egyptian or
Syriac disease.
Having invaded Europe, the disease ap
peared at Rome A.. D. $50; and being
akin to the plague, of which it may be a
remote modification, having had the
same origin, with some similar character
istics. and being like it and malignant
typhus highly contagious, the disease, in
its fifteen hundred years transit on the
continent of Europe, affected mainly
rural districts and garrisoned towns. 1t
had extended to Holland, in which it was
epidemic in 1887; to Paris, in 1876; and
appeared in America 1771; it having pre-
vailed more extensively in France in 1918
and 1885, and in England and the United
States from 1856 to 1860, and more or
less since.
In our own country it has thus been
more prevalent during the past twenty
one years, from 1856 to 1877; and rural
districts appear to have suffered most
during the early part of this period.
probably on account of greater preva-
lence of marsh mias1n, which, combined
with the animal, may generally, together
with the contagion, produce this disease.
But during the latter part of this period,
the rural districts, having been more
cleared up and drained, diminishing the
amount of paludal poision, and country
people having learned, as we'll as those
in cities, to avoid, to some extent, the
causes liable to generate animal miasms,
our cities, or some of them, appear to have
produced nearly if not quite as many
cases of diphtheria as the rural districts; !;
delphia, Boston, and many New England
and other cities having suffered more or
less from it during 1876 and 1877. The vi
tai statistics of Massachusetts for the year
1876 shows diphtheria occupies the
second place in the lisr Of fatality, two
thousand six hundred and ten persons
died of the disease during the year in
that state, and only five thousand and
twenty-seven Of consumption. Whether
this may be an average for other states or
not, its ravages have been fearful in many
parts of our own and other countries.
In both city and country, more cases
have occurred, other things being equal,
in warm autumal and winter weather in
damp localities, where the air is almost
destitute of ozone, powerful disinfect-
ant, and being saturated with moisture is
in low or negative electrical state, thus
letting down the positive electrical con-
dition of the nervous system, and cores
pondingly diminishing vitality in those
predisposed to the disease. Damp air
also doubtless, by diminishing the GU
taneous exhalation, and otherwise, may in
crease the predisposition to this as we'll
| as other kindred diseases.
The annual flooding OF the Nile in
Egypt, aftording, with the moisture thus
produced a generation and mingling
marsh and animal miasms, with the var.
ious imprudences of the Egyptian people,
may readily have originated this disease.
Asia Minor, probably the next most pre-
disposed country and people, was next
invaded, as might have been expected
Then in its turn, the south of Europe,
burdened with the imprudences of the
third and fourth centuries, with its influx
of the northern hordes upon the Roman
empire. Later still, central and northern
Europe, distracted with the turmoils and
degraded by the pollutions of the dark
ages, became ripe for it. Finally, other
parts Of the world, including America
had become sufficiently predispose5
and the United States having either pro-
duced in or received it from the Ole
World, has hence suffered a due share Of
it's ravages down to the present time
Every step of the progress Of this dis
ease. has thus been invited, and every
epidemic has had its cause; no case eve
having occurred anywhere, unless con
tracted by the contagion from anothc
patient, without some general or loca
cause usually local and discoverable,
from which may have emanated anima
as we'll as marsh miasms or poisons Th
fact of its increased prevalence in GU
own country may very likely be due, il
part at least, to the more artificial mod
of treating children, its more commo
victims. For it is shameful fact thai
as result of modern fashion few chill
dren now among all classes, have prope
clothing or covering for their limbs; an
still smaller number take their foo
" with strict regularity, abstaining frol
it between meals, as we'll as from candle
and other injurious and indigestabl
food.