Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-04
More About Diphtheris.
dependence OF the Register.


WHEELING, w. Va, November ).
Your correspondent, odd lime,
does the medical profession great M us
tice when he saws, Il assert 1t AZ MS
torical truth that no profession, no em.
ployment followed by man has had
more brain labor bestowed upon Il with
less results to the empiOye,
when it is a! matter OF history and OF
fact beyond doubt, that no graRder re-
suits have crowned any scientific re-
search than that OF medicine. 1T las
been progressive from its earliest infan.
cy when surgery was crude and amDu-
tations were performed with red hot
knives and the reeking stump dipped IN
boiling oil to prevent bleeding, to this
our dav Of chloroiUrm when the pa
tent enjoys sweet sleep while
losing a limb. The improvements IN
surgical instruments and appliances are
too numerous 20 mention. From the
discovery of the circulation OF the blood,
the discovery Of vaccination, the sue
cessful performance OF Ovariotomy and
other conservative surgery. have added
thousands OF years to the lives OF those
who would have died had not medicine
been progressive. Medical sanitary
science by avcrting disease, has added
it's thousands oil years to human lie. In
ingland in the cities OF Salisbury, STRAIT
lord, Croydon and Merthvr, the annual
death rate nom typhoid fever has been
diminished 10, 81, is and 80 per cent.
respectively by hygienic means, and
many other cities in like proportion
In many cities in the United States ike
results have followed strict hygenic
measures.
We can but look with pride upon the
thorough and scientific manner in which
Memphis, Tenn, overCame all o5sta
cles and made herself clean. Her death
rate will he reduced beyond computa-
ton.
A hospital over which the writer had
iull control suffered annually with cpl
denies OF typhoid lever for wears. By
proper sewerage, cleanliness and the in.
PRODUCTION of forced ventilation by
means of large ian, the disease was
almost annihiated and not one death APP
pears in the report for the past two
years from typhoid fever. Could any
better results be expected from sanitary
mea sures?
There is little doubt that Wheelngs
death rate from typhoid lever and diph-
iberia can be greatly reduced by the en-
iorCement Of sanitary laws, in fact, every
disease is influenced by cleanliness; is
rendered more tfaCtable and is less
fatal.
The sewerage. ventilation, prisons,
slaughter houses, alleys, cutters and
water supply should all be looked after.
The Health Officer should be encouraged
and upheld by every citizen to do his
duty. 1t is too often the case that an eiii.
Gent officer becomes unpopular by
reason OF his efficiency. This is I'M
fortunate. Some system OF water filter
ing should be adopted either by making
the water pass through porous brick
walls, or filter through gravel and sand.
Good health cannot be had without
good water.
The excavations from the bowels in
typhoid fever patients are capable and
often do spread the disease. They
should not be emptied on the ground
where they may work into the water
We use, or become dry and are blown
about as dust and inhaled. The cham.
bers and hoppers used should contain
a solution OF chloride OF lime to dIsln'
feet the discharges as they are passed
Clothes soiled should al once be put IN
boiling water.
Diphtheritic formations should not
be allowed to come in contact with any
one. One OF the most talented physl.
clans OF Baltimore lost his life by touch
ing the membrane with his lips. How
frequently must the disease be- commu-
nicated to brothers and sisters or friends
by kissing or otherwise?
In conclusion, let me saw, uphold and
carry out the directions OF your physl-
elan. View him not as a nOn-progress-
i've machine without heart or feelings.
You little know his heartaChes and
trials as he watches his patients, and
sees them passing away. 1t is not al
ways his fault, but the fault lies often IN
not enforcing sanitary laws. Is.