The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-12-01
Diphthcfia.
WHAT IT'S AND now To CURE IT.

/ DIphtheria Is a disease of lhI
blood, OF the septic type, and be.
longs to the same family As scarlet
fever.
1t is always produced by living
germs, which, when once in the sys-
tenn, increase rapidly by propagation
and feed on the blood, first infam.
ing it and finally making combin,
ed and vigorous attack upon the
mucuous surface and glands OF the
throat. 1t is Of the greatest import
ance that the people as well as tn,
physician should understand this
disease, and it is especially import
ant that the people understand t.
for the reason that the majority OF
physicians do not. IL Is a most in
sldIous, dangerous, and If not prop
erly treated, most fatal disease.
let physicians who understand II
never lose a case. ! have been
called upon to treat many cases OF
this disease, and haye never vet lost
one. And if the women of the
country were intelligent upon the
subject of its character and svmp-
toms, and familiar with the use OF
such simple remedies a. are in the
reach of all. il would De entirely
shOrn of Its terrOrs. for then if by ac-
cident, one person in a family or
neighbOrhOOd should be attacked bv
II, they could be readily cured. not
only, but it could be prevented from
attacking othe.s. have said il Is
a septic disease. Therefore the Sc
crct of its prevention lies almost
wholly sin the Use of antiSeptics.
Pure air is the great universal anti
septic What | mean by pure air is
air containing It's natural proper
tons of nitrogen, oxygen, and ozone.
Such atmosphereis fatal TO all forms
OF disease-producinC germs. They
cannot live in il. But as we are not
yet able TO control the elements. We
cannot always have pure air. We
have, however, learned how to puri-
fy it on a limited scale, and | have
scarce q doubt but science will yet
teach US how to do 50 on Il general
or universal scale.
When q case of diptleria occurs
in a family, we should know that
the patient caught it from some
other person afflicted with it. either
directly or indirectly, for it cannot
arise spontaneously. fhc germs
may be carried in the clothing from
one person 10 another. in this way.
UncOusciOUsV or care
lessly spread this and other diseases
throughout the wholenei1hborhood.
Until within a few years. small
pox was a most fatal disc re-, spread
ing through the whole country and
killing people by the hundreds
Now it rarely proves fatal. and ney-
er becomes epidemic. except where
the physicians are alike ignorant Of
sanitary science.
1t Is not vaccination ta3- has -u.-
ducd this terrible pestilencp. but
disinfectants correct habits OF die,
and fresh air, sanitary science and
common sense. \ year and q half
ago we were called to see 4 case OF.
by a physician Of forty
years experience. who had lost two
other cases in the same family with
in as many weeks. He said to US,
like an honest man, Il do not know
how to cure this new disease, and |
am ready to adopt any treatment
that YOU may recommend. ." We.
replied, This house has the diph-
iberia, and the first thing to do is to
cureit." Heexpressed establishment,
and asked for an explanation
Why said ], "the atmosphere OF.
the house-the walls, the carpets,
the beds and the clothing OF its oc-
cupants are full of diphtheretic di-
sease germs, which must bedestroyed
or the child will die; other members
Of the family will follow it; and
from here the disease will spread to
neighboring houses, carried in the
clothes of visitors. In the Ian
5uage Of an ancient poet, / said,
Bring me sulpher, that / may fu-
migate the room" and / improved
upon the ancient prescription by
adding tar. The house was thor
Dughly saturated with the fumes of
tar and sulphur. The windows and
doors were thrown open that the
fresh air and sunlight might enter
and carry off the disease charged
vapors. Prescribing for the patient
appropriate anti-septics as internal
and liquid ozone as Il gar
gle for the throat, then in the first
state of liberation, / departed. The
,hild recovered rapidly, nor did any
other ease occur in that family.
/ repeat the cause Of the disease IS !
living germs, and the chief remedy
IS disinfectiOn Destroy the germs
Of disease in the patient and in the
house, and the work is done.
Distinction is the basis of santa
~ science, and It IS of the utmost
that those who preside
over the house should understand
this and should be familiar with the
virtues Of the leading or most pow.
arful disiniectants
Disease, p says Professor Tyndal'
rs produced from seeds planted in
the system, which, finding their
proper soil and temperature. develop
and multiply 10 j. q vital pro-
cess, no; q chemical one Chemical
have $50 power % multi
ply thcmsclvcA Living organisms
only can 10 that