The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-24
(Cinciunati Commercially


fCincinDati Commercially
For two months or more u form OF disease
has prevailed among children in this locality
resembling diphtheria in some OF its forms.
II seemed TO differ from dipbibers mainly
in its yirulencp, many OF the cases resulting
fatally in two or three days after the deyel-
opment OF the first symptoms. IL recalls
something Of the same character prevailing
about two years ago In the vicinity OF Home
CITY. the pleasant little suburban village
ly,ng eleven miles west OF Cincinnati. AT
that time the disease seemed confined TO
q circle OF eight or ten miles IN
diameter. 1t was even more severe
on the Kentucky side Of the Ohio river,
SIX miles south Of Home City, than in that
village, which would indicate that 1t was
not OF q contagious character. there being
very little communication between the two
banks OF the river. The disease broke out
in August OF 1878, and prevailed as an epl-
demic during the month OF September and
part OF October. In about two months
time 1t carried away thirty-one children
from the little village OF Home City, very
severe loss in proportion 10 the population,
and probably greater in its ratio than that
caused by any epidemic ever existing In
Cincinnati. A gentleman yesterday, In
speaking OF the sad condition then existing,
told a Commercial reporter that Dedical aid
was OF little avail. While the disease re.
sembled diphtheria in many OF the types OF
that disease, yet it diG not yield to diphthe-
ric treatment. IL showed entirely new
features, with which the medical profession
were not familiar.
THE SYMPTOMS
Of ~
glands, accompanied by high fever. Tue
disease seemed 10 be confined to children
between two and ten years OF age. In
families OF three or four children under ten
wears o. age where the disease broke out,
an average OF two were attacked, while the
others remained exempt. Local physicians
were unable to cope with it, and prominent
physicians from the city seemed no more
able TO handle it than their country breth-
ren. IL was equally strange and new 10
both.
It's resppesrance here this season recalled
the above "reminiscences. The disease has
been prevalent In Cincinnati and vicinity
about six weeks, but is now happily
waning. During the first six days OF July
it caused six deaths. Since the 9th, now
fifteen days, there have been but four deaf hs.
west. and appears TO be travelling eastward.
Nearly two months ago 1t attracted atten'
tjon in Chicago, where it then baf1ed the
skill OF the physicians. The type OF the
disease prevailing there appears to differ
somewhat from that existing here. DR.. u.
C.. Helm, OF Chicago, in an article to the
Obsietrical Gazette, Of Cincinnati. under
the head of r.sfIf -HItf
"wHAT SHALL WE CALL TIP"
speaks OF it as q disease in which the consti-
ti,tional disturbances were out of all pro-
portion to the local demonstrations.
A Commercial reporter, in conversation
with DR.. T. G. Bradford, OF this city, yes
terday learned that that physicians obser-
yations OF the symptoms OF the disease in
this locality were opposite, in that the " To-
cal demonstrations were predominant, and
actually out OF all proportion to the consti'
tutiona disturbance" He said the swelling
OF the glands and the tonsils were eXtraor'
binary. He knew Of some deaths occurring
from suffocation alone, caused by the swell.
ING of the glands and tonsils. When asked
as TO the extent the epidemic had prevailed,
he said:
suppose you might properly call it an
epidemic. IL is nos confined to any locality
that | know Of / have heard that 1t was
seyerer in the suburbs than in the city, but
f1od that 1t prevails generally down here In
the city as well as on the bills, but it is de-
cresslng. IL is not nearly so malignant as
il was a few weeks ago. There are not Sc
many
PATAL CASES,
and those occurring seem to be OF milder
FORM"
"To what extent has 1t prevailed ?"
"It Is hard to tell. There has been a
great deal OF it,. have had twelve cases
10 attend to In 4 single day. and other ply
sicians have told me OF similar experience
Of their own"
"Do you regard the disease as conta'
giouss"
"Not i'm the common sense OF the word
IL arises probably from a Zymotic condition
OF the atmosphere. The existence OF case
In household where the other members
breathe the same atmosphere would proba
bly, cause il 10 spread among the more sus
cepilble. Running back and forth between
dwellings where it exists and other dwell
ipgs might cause ii to spread"
1T does not seem TO have been especially
fatal here ?"
"No. | think we understand it now.
The proportion OF deaths to the number oil
cases Is now really very small"
SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE.
"wherein does 1t differ from ordinary
diphtheriay"
DR.. B.: "In diphtheria there are GER
tain constitutional and local symptoms.
Both may c0exist In every degree OF sever
ity, and either OF which may attain decep-
tive prominence. In other cases, both To-
cal and constitutional symptoms are so OBJ
scure 1t is with considerable difficulty that
a correct diagnosis eau at first be made.
Among the earlier constitutional symp-
toms are lassitude and debility, aching OF
the muscular system, especially the back
and legs; either severe rig0r or chilly
sensation, loss OF appetite, nausea or yon-
iting, or both, Intense headache, great mus
cular weakness and dullness OF the mental
fscrIltles, marked elevation OF tempera-
ture, heat OF skin and wakefulness,
accelerated pulse, generally very mark
edly 80. Among the local symptoms
are swelling OF the iymphatic glands. also
the cervical glands, aud the tonsils; In.
flammation OF the throat and swelling oil
most OF the soft parts, and in due time the
eharact eristic exudatioE, or, membrane, o.
skin, Is formed upon The soft palate and
tobsils. Theae are only few OF the more
pr0miuens and constant general and ioca
symptoms. In <fr1S
rais NEW DISEASE ...,
that has been 20 prevalent through tht
-. .n.to..x Stetas for aeyafat weeks A 10 D(