Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-02-03
DIPHTHERIA.
Investigating the ScOurge in New York
State--Breeding Spots From Which
The Infection Spreads
OfPatients and Private Fnn-
erals Commanded.

ItCcLtly lIldut puDllC II NdSU amount OF mat
ter, statistical and otherwise. concerning tn
, ravages of diphtheria. The report is OF in
, terest in this mountain land, as it contain
notes of many cases of the scourge Occurrin,
in high and isolated places, where nature ap
peared to favor conditions of perfect health
but where the neglect and filthy habits O
human beings have allowed diphtheria tt
become seated and to spread abroad through
other hitherto uninfected neighborhoods
The board has invited reports Of facts rather
than the advancement of conclusions, but il
is believed that a comparison of the phases
Of the disease will prove Of great benefit III
the study of a disease not yet fully compre.
hended, and treated with an unhappy degree
of uncertainty as to results by even the most
experienced physicians. Everything points
to the necessity of isolation and prOtracted
quarantine of convalescents
The attention of DR.. Elisha Harris, the
Secretary Of the State Board of Health, was
directed last summer to centre of the dis
ease in JOhnstown, Fulton county, and by
great diligence the shanty of family was
found to be the starting point from which it
had gone abroad until it had found victims
in every part Of the WALLACE, and afterward
found its way far up toward the north woods.
In the shanty referred to two children had
been stricken with diphtheria, and died. A
family from distance made a visit to the
house, and the children who were among the
visitors slept in the very bed in which the
children had died q short time before They
went home, and soon after had an attack of
diphtheria. An infant who sickened and
died in the neighborhoOd was carried in it's
mothers arms 40 miles east across the coun-
try, two other children riding in the same
conveyance. They carried the disease with
them, and it crept along south again until it
reached Worthwhile. The first fatal case here
was that of an admired child, and, in gross
Ignorance of the fearful danger to which the
was exposed, public funeral
was held in church; the corpse was carried
in by child bearers, companions of the dead
one; the church was crowded, principally |.
with children; a sermon was preached, and
the body was followed to the grave by |
long concourse of people, young and old. The
result was not one that should have surprised
anybody. The funeral infected the whole
village, and in week there were 46 cases of
iiphtheria in the place The Board of Health
was alarmed at this and other instances of
and while DR.. Harris was in the
leighborhood investigating the matter. he
'at down one day and wrote circular. which
las been distributed far and wide. giving
ersely all the particulars as to the infectious
nature OF the disease, pointing out the neces-
lty Tor isolation Of patients, cleansing and
llslntectlon of rooms and clothing, and en-
directing private funerals.
Cases OF diphtheria occurring in high and
suaIly salubrlous places have received at =
entlve study. One instance is related of the :
ppearance OF diphtheria Oh one of the high =,
st hills In Otsego county. Here a school = :
ouse, new and well-built, seemed to have =
cen the point of origin of large number of \
asses. NO other reason could be assigned for '
S spread except the clubhouse on the \
rounds in which, it is believed, the disease J
ad nested and been communicated to the n
h1ldren who attended the school. The neg 5
ect OF the simplest precautions to keep this
reedng spot lnnOcuous had entailed great n
lisery, and again taught fearful lesson. O
lany cases are brought to light to show that O
lphtherla and other diseases difficult to e
)ntrol are developed and disseminated tt
trough the almost universal neglect among p
le poorer rural population, of drainage and o.
Werage. Stops are thrown from windows un- p
er the very dwelling, vegetable matter is al
wed to gather and decompose in cellars, wells p
lat are poisined with the filterings of sess- OF
'ols long undisturbed, scatter disease and 4
'ath Id the midst fcharming pictures ofrural dl
vellness and in most intances might have sa
en prevented by little or no expeniature al
I'd the simplest regard for common sanitary M
inciples.