The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-02-26
Timely Suggestions as to Diphtheria.

WORD is brought to us from the
States to the North that simultaneously
with the severe cold came the dreadful
scourge of diphtheria. On the high
prairie land of Iowa diphtheria has
been epidemic. Now, do not know
all that this mysterious disease feeds
on; but wish to suggest an explanation
of its late prevalence, and add word
of caution and advice. .'.+.
When the temperature is below zero
everything lying upon the surface of
the ground, whether in the swamps or
on the upland, is frozen solid, and all
dead and decaying vegetable and animal
matter is bound fast in letters of ice.
No poisonous germs or noxious gases
are then borne on the frigid air.
Diphtheria finds its food and nourish-
ment within the house. The severer
the cold, the closer the openings are
kept shut, and the more rigidly is the
pure external air excluded. This is
apparently rendered necessary by the
small heating apparatus in most country
houses. The result of almost no
ventilation is, excessively foul air. Air
which has been breathed once is
saturated with moisture and poisoned
with carbonic acid. When you add to
the air thus Initiated the products of the
combustion of lamps and candles (Which
is steam and more carbonic acid) and
the noisome air from unventilated,
undrained and often filthy cellars,
carefully banked and caulked to keep
out the cold, you have q mixture
which closely represents the indoor
atmosphere of many a house in severely
cold weather. Living for days and
sometimes for weeks in such an
atmosphere, which furnishes scant oxy-
gen to purify the blood and little ability
to relieve the lungs of moisture, not to
speak of gases positively harmful, is it a
wonder that the women and children
become pale and weakp that their
threats, where the evil Influences are
first and most keenly felt, show
symptoms of disease, and that with
diminished vital energies they fall an
easy prey to diphtheria? ....
The reason why it prevails so extern
sively is that the same causes produce
at all points the same effects. Relief
can come only with fresh air and pure
blood. With good ventilation (Which
includes the introduction of pure air,
as well as the removal of the fouD the
noxious gases of the sitting and Sleep
ing rooms, which ought to be kept at a
minimum, may be SO diluted and car
ried off that they do the system no
harm. .......f I....
If, now, am correct in my theory of
the main cause of diphtheria during the
severe cold, the way of prevention
would seem to- be easy. In the first
place keep your houses and cellars clean
and wholesome. If poisonous gases are
produced at any point, provide means
for conducting them Immediately out of
the house; and secondly, admit fresh
air. If this would make your rooms
too cold, remember that a great many
people may occupy small room safely
if it is we'll ventilated, while few in a
large but tight room would in short
time suffer for air. To make rooms
large and high for ventilation merely is
mistake; they need just as much fresh
air to keep them pure as do smaller
rooms, the occupants being the same.
Moreover, cold is not as bad as poison,
and woolens may in the end be cheaper
than fuel.-Prof. @. M. Woodward, in 50.
Louis Republican. 'i'.'it ~ H