The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-10-09
The Fever's New Phase.
From the New Orleans Times.l

The simultaneous decrease or yellow fe-
yer in nearly every infected district and
the marked decline in mortality here, have
arrested attention from close study of the
marvellous events which for weeks were
constantly occurring, and physicians appa-
rently have more time for reflection aud
"Reminiscences than at any period since the
inception of the epidemic
A majority concur in the opinion that
this infection is not only unparalleled, but
wholly phenomenal The veteran of half a
dozen epidemics does not pretend to dis
guise his amaZement. This disease has adj
mitted the bewildered disciple of LEsculapi
us into entirely new realms. Tenets which
in this region have been articles of faith
more thad half a century suddenly collapse
and vanish into thin air.
No sooner does the astOnished believer in
the immunity of all nature and to the man
ner born find himself COMPOUNDED by the
death of half a score of native patients
when he is met by the new heresY, judic-
ious nOurishment is not death warrant.
Society is being revolutionized,
"Old times are changed;
Old mourners gone,
stranger fills the students throne"
From time when the memory of man
runneth not to the contrary, it has been an
axiom in this city that an era of GONZALES
cence is sn era OF starvation.
Bronze John invariably came In the ORTIZ
odox way, light fever, gradual delirium, q
sharp tusslo, slow convalescence, and al
most total abstemiousness. The GONZALES
cents OF 1853 went tor three months with
out eating a full meal. "Maintenant nous
avons change tout celia"
There have been patients of the present
epidemic who ate the leg of a broiled spring
chickens forty-eight hours after Bronze
John made his congo. The popular belief
in blankets seems completely extinguished
Light covering, often a single sheet and
perfect ventilation, appears the triUm phal
path towards rapid recovery and whole
some regeneration.
These phenomena much impressing a
Times reporter, he yesterday decided to
take little dash among the NJ. DIS, and as
tain, If possible, why the medical meta
morphose has overcome US like summer
cloud without our special wonder. Adj
dressing a young, intelligent and extremely
active member of the fraternity, the re-
porter discovered his answer to lie very la
comic: Il" said the doctor, ''can divide
my cases Into two general classes; wet
and dry. All are different, but this subdi-
vision separates them sufficiently to be
clearly understood. A sick person with a
moist skin yields readily to she ordinary
treatment, ana can be purged and quinined
to ones hearts content; but the dry skin
and hot fever is dangerous subject; and
a physician is justified in adopting any
method that will take him out Of that di-
lemma.
Sheets dipped in hot water, tanning, con-
slant spongng. il they diminish tempera-
ture. should be resorted to, but very natu-
rally each individual; requires special treat
ment, and this is only general rule.
The reporter met another successful
practitioner who gives light naurisnment
even at the risk of slightly increasing the
temperature, insisting that the patient must
be sustained in order to Withstand fearful
strain upon the vitality.
There are many physicians who still cling
20 the ancient methods insisting upon low
diet with as much tenacity as they did thirty
years ago. Many of these have been very
successful, but all concede that the disease
which has afflicted the South during the
current season Is extremely dangerous in
type, peculiar in character, and, in short,
wholly different from every disease we have
heretofore experienced.