The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-12-16
DIPHTHERIA,
A Sensible ana Timely Letter from n
Doctor.

A Sensible ana Timely Letter from
Doctor.
This disease is much more prevalent
now than people are aware of. But the
fact that a great many have il under the
name OF colds, sore throat, liberated
sore throat, sympathetic sore throats and
other simple names, proves that it need
not be fatal or very serious to the un-
fortunate person sick with it. There is
always more or less danger attending it.
But the danger is immeasurably less
when 1t is known to be diphtheria and
called by that name than when it is yet
IN the premonitory stage, while the pa
tient just infected with it is lazy or
stupid, going about in a sort of shiver-
ing, dazed way, with no appetite and
bel eft of all animation In the season
of miasmatic troubles il is safe always
to have the possibility of diphtheria in
mind, and to be constantly on the look
out for throat affections, that it may not
be so fully developed as to be beyond
remedies before its presence is even sus-
pected. 1t is a blood poison, with more
or less inflammation of the throat and
membranous deposits on tonsils and
palate. 1t is so sl,w in its early stages
that the patient is too frequently beyond
human help before the friends are will
ing TO believe anything is the matter.
and then too little self-possession is left
to aid anybody in behalf of the sick one.
A few suggestions, perhaps, will be ac-
ceptaole in this very trying time. As
long as the pulse is regular in its beats,
DO not mind about counting it too fire.
quently. Even physicians can merely
surmise what the number of beats is
to the pulse per minute of q new patient
hpplth 'Thorn ic ok
while it is variable. For several days
the fever will be very high, and there
Is nothing so grateful as ice or water TO
drink, hot or cold. Baths are in order
the sponge bath, OF q full bath of
eight or ten minutes, once in two,
three or four hours, preferably OF
pretty warm water; or warm
pack of from half to three-quarters of
s.n hour, repeated once or twice day.
A pack is very soothing, and will often
reduce the pulse twenty to thirty beats
per minute, and the temperature one or
two degrees Hot water to hold in the
mouth, or to use as gargle is also very
Servlceable. A compress of hot water
constantly about the throat is necessary,
and wide compress of hot water from
the arm-pits to the hips often sends
very restless patient into a delightful
sleep. The congresses should always
be wrung out very dry, and covered with
thick, soft, and dry cloths, These
should be retained, if agreeable to the
patient, from one to five tours, and re-
peated two or three times day ttwenty-
four hours). Never give stimulants.
Whatever food is taken should be in
liquid form, such as beef tea, rich milk,
cruel of Indian meal or oatmeal. pre-
ter Indian meal cruel made to the taste;
ruhi1n = u ,1e g.
mechanically on the many inhamed
crevices OF the throat, stretching, oiling
Gin a certain sense) and cleaning as it
descends to give the stomach the impress
sion of a good meal. Food, medicine,
and other necessary attentions should be
given regularly, promptly, and with a
spirit to humor the delirium or obsti-
macy of the patient. Strict attention
should be given 10 the suggestions o.
the adviser in the case. The patient
should be watched closely night and
day, and abundant fear should be had
for any seque.@ that a serious case al
ways develops, that no in 4iscretions
be committed by nurse or patient!
Months are often required to recover
from diphtheria, as scrofolous sores may
follow, or paralysis, and affections OF
the kidneys. The throat and nose (if
the latter is afIected) should frequently
be cleaned with swab or douche; no
secretion should be allowed to remain
long enough to corrsde and become an
additional irritanf. l mention this last
as most important thing in diphtheria,
because so few realize the necessity of
cleaning the throat, or dare to do it.
The suggestions given in this way
must be incomplete so far as medicine is
concerned, but l presume to say that if
one-half the cases that die had had
no other treatment but that given in
this article, the patients would have
been saved TO life and their friends -
Odeh1 Blum, N. d., IN The Chicago
Inter. OceIn.