The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-03-05
Champlaln valley Homeopathic Medlca
Society.

OOCicty,
! Tuesday, Feb. oath, the Champlain
Valley homeopathic Medical Society
met at the Addison House, Middlebury,
vt. The meeting was called to order
at 10 80 q. m, DR.. Arthur, OF Vergen-
nes in the chair.
Recognizing the increasing prevalence
and terrible fatality of diphtheria, and
appreciating that the most skillful and
scientific treatment has done compare
lively so little to meet and conquer this
dreaded foe to life, it had been appoint
ed as the subject for discussion. The
preliminary business, election of new
members, ETC., having been briefly dis
patched, papers on the subject were
first called for. DR.. Smith, of Addison,
read an interesting paper, giving in de.
tail several unusual cases. One case
following a wound from pitchfork. i.
disease first show ing itself in wound,
afterwards affecting patient constitu-
tionally, developing finally in the
throat. Called attention to the peculiar
track of the disease. Commencing on
the old turnpike, high and clay road
from Vcrgennes TO Bridport, and fol-
| lowing road for five or more miles,
skipping all houses excepting those on
either side of the street. He recognized
the three general forms, catarral,
croupous and septic; considered
treatment of little avail in latter forms,
but depended largely on prophylactic
or preventative treatment, free use of
disinfectants, etc.; thought if disease
could not be arrested its severity could
be greatly mitigatcd by such measures.
DR.. Arthur, of Vergennes, had care
fully prepared paper giving large num-
ber of cases occurring within his ride,
which he and other local physicians
were called on to treat; the statistics
showing rate of mortality to be fright
| full under any and all treatment. In one
location of not half mile radius, out of
30 cases there were 26 deaths. Consid-
cred eucalyptu globulus the best
antiseptic he had ever used; applied as
a gargle it would destroy the disgust
| ing penetrating odor almost entirely,
seemed particularly grateful to patients.
| AS disintectant he considered chlorine
gas, as obtained from the simple process
in its productions from manganese and
salt prepared in the chamber which it is
desired to be disinfected, would do the
work more surely than anything else.
He quoted experiments made in Bellevue
Hospital in ward impregnated with
| diphtheria, where every patient placed
there came down with the disease, and
after repeated failures with almost evc-y
thing else, chlorine gas was used success
| fully. Spoke of using it thoroughly in
Reform School after first case and this in
connection with sulpho of fcarbolate-soda
internally, confined the disease to very
narrow limits. Out of 126 children
but twenty had the disease, with but
three or four deaths. Always individ-
uaizcd his cases, and gave indicated
remedies, not believing sny specific
would ever be found TO cure all cases.
DR.. Hamilton, of Brandon, considered
heat one of the most important prophy-
lactics neutralizing as it does cold or
moisture. Never found anything like
turpentine to deodorize house after
death of a case. Where the house was
thoroughly impregnated with the hor-
rible odor, clinging for weeks, after
everything had been tried thorough
painting in the infected chamber rem
dered the house perfectly sweet. Con.
, sidered sugar, used locally, one of the
,, best remedies 10 cut and dissolve mem
= brane. Did not consider one time o.
/ the year more favorable to prope cation
of disease than another; thought be-
tween fifteen and twenty-five years oil
! age the greatest mortality occurs. USED
: the usual remedies, spirits of phytolac
= ca, mercurius prot. biniodide, sepia, ani
, lachesis, aconite, belladonna, as in
dicated, and spoke very highly of sailcv
lie acid. DR.. Ockford, ofBurlington, reat
, very interesting paper on the cause
3 and prevention of diptheria. He wen
, into hygiene matters very thoroughly
. reviewing the most common canses il
our defective drainage system, accum.
ulation of filth in places where the,
ought not, bad water closets, careles.
,, decomposition of vegetable matter il
our cellars, ETC., ETC., and showing thai
only when we had succeeded in correct
y ing these evils and abuses, would W,
: succeed in roofing out this dreaded dis
y ease. DR.. Wyman, of Manchester, ask
y CT, if it were possible to keep patien
mostly on face, the discharge or exuda
tions from throat not being swallowed
\ would the constitutional symptoms b,
u mitigaicd in severity? A majority O
the members thought it would be utter
= ly impossible to do this. DR.. Wyman'
e iavorite gargle consisted of one part al
= cohol, one part glycerine, and one @
y water, this in as much hot water. Dr
= Woodhouse, of Rutland, encourages pa
" tients to take all nutriment they wi
;, possibly bear, and sometimes a littl
u more. Believes in disinfectants, bu
thinks we sometimes overdo the thing
= and infect, instead of dsinfect. Pur
y air and good fires are great helps. ii
le uses as a gargle, bichromate of potasss
depending almost entirely on it local.,
y, ;. and having the greatest faith in its vii
!, tues. Always suits temperature of gal
~ gle to wishes of patient, sometimes us
II, ing hot, and again ice cold. DR.. Halse
- reported an almost singular immumt
~ from diphtheria in Midtlebury; durln,
!. the past four years, agreed howeyc
III with DR.. Wyman as to the value of tn
aS bichromate, in throat troubles with IL
9; ceration having diptheretic tendency
!, Learned its value from his preceptol
~ DR.. Verdi of Washington. d. O., viii
y. studying there, and had used it wit
~ the best success ever since. Used it
=, hot water, in most cases, and frequen
III ly combined with alcohol. DIR. Halse
le also showed to the society an interes
T. r. ing pathological sp ,cimen, curious frol
u, its rarity.
"a An interesting discussion followe
W as to the degree in which diphtheria
III contagious, or infectious. if at all. ID
Sanborn, of New Haven, said while |
e, deemed the disease infectious in Il
'ul highest degree, being communicated b
'h touch, or direct contact with patien
~. ne did not consider it contagious in Il
he sense of small pox, measles, etc. ths
where the disease developed i'm 9th,
no families, having had communicate
,e, with infected houses or not, that di
on gent search would propably develol
Gil the cause of these new cases, arising
re. their own locality; that where the di
'h' ease went through a family, the caus
'n- which produced it in one, were st
at work, and might produce 1t in Il
re- 60, stra;~ht ai,ona,h,o to,,,,IP ~
~ WIN. - i"AN ~ oiiop"ehhS bOiuS VI