The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-01-06
alseful aud Curious.
scARLET FEVER.
Can IL be Prevented MediGed - An later
esfinz Discussion Of the Matter By Il. N.
Hale, VI. u.

tagion, and attack persons who arr 50 situated
that contagion was not possible 1t is not con-
tagious to the some degree is smallpox, inca
Sizes whoopins cOugh, but rather resembles
diphtheria and cholera. IL Is conceded that to-
g.ther with its cOntagiOusress, there exists an
epidemic influence. That while II may be termed
an infections disease, il may occur without in
fection. Children have been attacked with this
disease who had not been ont of their room for
weeks, nor had seen other than their nurse, or
Others equally isolated
To sum the whole matter up-scarl9tina may
be taken; l. BY direct infection; by contact
with the person clothing of patient suffering
from the disease. 2. BY exposure TO the enlana-
tions of person who has been visiting such pa
tienf. 3 From the epidemic influence in the
atmosphere. The distance 10 which it may lie
carried by the air does not appear TO exceed n
few feet from the patient, or person who has
visited q patient. Consequently, IT may he car
ried by nurses and physicians. temperature
of 300 deg +. appears to he capable Of destroy
ing the poison in clothing. The clothing or bed
ding which has been infected should he exposed
to such temperature of water or air before it is
again used. so much for its contagiousness.
The most important question IL, How shall the
disease lie prevented from spreading, and how
shall it be modified in its yIruleneef The people
nowadays look TO the public press for inforna-
tion npon these topics, and the press should be
equal to the demand.
Several years ago blanks were distributed to
pbyscianis who notified that ahey must re-
port eases Of scarlet fever and other contagious
diseases 70 the Sanitary Superintendent. But /
am informed that this Order like the order to
report all births, is practically dead letter,
and will be until the City Council pass Ordi-
nance making such reports obligatory.
If physicians were obliged to report the exist
| ence of every case of scarlet fever TO the Board
of Health, and if the Sanitary Superintendent
should thereupOn notify the family that the pa
tient must he isolated, except from physician
and nurse, and that no member of such family
should appear at school or any public gathering
Of l.l
clothing had been disinfcctet, then indeed might
the disease be checked 10 4 great degree.
| As it is now, children not deharred from
/ attending school, even if members of the family
| to which they belong i'll with malignant
| scarlet fever. If this practice was prohibited,
there would he no necessity for closing the pub
| lie schools There are but few eases on record
where physicians have carried the disease, al
/ though the probability of such occurrences is
not deubted. But physicians must 90 where
/ they are called, and, as any physician is liable
/ to attend eases of this disease, do not see how
| they can he isolated from n community
| see no objection to marking with some kind
of signal houses wherein scarlet fever is present
| Such an order would he very obnoxious at first,
but all good citizens would soon see its value,
/ and objections would cease. There are other
means of prevention which might be adopted, al
though none are certain III their effect, and any
claim to the possession of an absolute preventive
| is worse than quackery. Ii may not be amiss
| however, to mention a few that have been
| commended. Highly aromatic substances worn
/ upon the person has been attended with good
results. Among these may he mentioned cam
| phor, asafptida, musk, carbOlic acid, etc. Of
these, camphor and earboic acid are probably
/ the most useful
| The use of belladonna rs prophylactic-i. O.,
preventive Of scarlet fcvcr-Orgnated with
/ Hahuemann, the foHndcr of homeopathy, who,
with his followers, claimed nj time great
success from its Use. The allOpathic school at
first opposed its use but afterward tested it with
x-ar ltS 1.ntlt g1,nniS ara
! divided in opinion to its efficacy. The general
results from its preventive seem to he
| that, while il may have an influence to prevent
the access of mild forms of the diseases, and may
modify attacks of the forms, il has little
| if any influence in preventing or modifying ma
] lignant attacks BelladOnna is useful rs med
| icine only in the ordinary acknowledgement cpl
denies of this disease. 1t can act a modify
| ing agent in no other. To those who desire to
test its value the following method of using il is
| recommended Procure a solution of thirty
drops of pure tincture Of bcllad0nna in one ounce
! of water or alcohol OF this give drop three
times day to child of one year of age and under.
! To children over that age add one drop for each
year: TINS. a person fifteen years old should take
| fifteen drops thrice day. Larger or smaller
| doses are not advisable.
But there is u medicine which | should prefer
| To bclladOnna in malignant epidemics. more
likely to modify the disease, even if il does not
act preventive. refer to the iOdide of arse
| mic ] found it of gaeat value in the epidemic of
! epizootic disorder which prevailed several years
/ ago, and also in epidemic of scarlet fever
| which seemed TO attend or follow il. The eases
| which have proved fatal in this city this fall
| bear n strong resemblance TO that former cpl
demic. 1t is perfectly safe if used in proper
! doses. 1t may he given thrice a day, IN doses OF
| 1-lO0th Of n grain to adults, and to children in
doses of I-5O0th of IL 0O0th of grain Ii can he
dispensed in such definite doses by any allopa-
| THE or homeopathic chemist. Its use should he
| commenced rs soon a suspected or known eN
| lls n
| or more.
There is another method, however, which
| have heretofore published. which may he adop-
ted as means of prevention or modification
which, though comparatively new, bids faIrto lie
| of great value. This is the Injunction" method
Ii consists in rubbing into the skin, of any pure
| Oleaginous substance. Ii was first recommended
| rs a means of treatment of scarlet fever by DIR.
! Schuerman, German physician. He made use
| of bacon fat. The patient is to he rubbed with
! this as the nature of the case is evident.
! 1t is rubbed in from headto foot, excepting the
| face and scalp, every murnin. and evening. In
/ the latest and best treatise diseases of chill
drcn (by DIR. Meiggs) il is stated by the author
! that ave order the ointment for external Use
l inst rs regularly nowadays we do cold drinks
/ and proper food At present the use Of bacon
fat is rejected the salt is of no particular value
| and as there are other fatty substances less nm
| pleasant and equally useful DIR. Meiggs recon-
mends the use of the following mixture: Zone
! teaspOOnful Of glycerinc mixed with an ounce of
] y
| in the palm of the hand, and with this rub gently
;he various parts of the surface, first one limb,
/ then another, and then the body. This can be
| done 50 as to avoid greasng the clothing, as it
| is readily absorbed by the skin. Any excess
should he wiped off.
| This plan has been adopted by all the princi-
pal physicians of the world, is used in all the
| large hospitals, and has been attended with
uniform success. 1t places the skin in such con-
| dition that il favOrs the development of the
| eruption upon the surface, and prevents the
| blood poisoning, which is the element of danger
/ in all malignant cases
! But il is not alone in the treatment of scarlet
fever during the attack that this method il yalu-
| able. 1t is equally valuable when adopted rs n
| means of modification.
| During my visit to some of the hospitals of
Paris. particularly those devoted to children, |
/ was informed that Injunction was practiced
upon all the inmates soon n ease of scarlet
fever appeared in the wards. II alleged
\ that snch practice rendered the majority of cases
milder in character.
| | wOuld therefore recommend in all cases
where parents have reason to suppose that their
children are likely TO be. or have been, exposed
to scarlet fever contagiOn, and even in cases
where the disease is in the neighborhood, that
l the following plan be adopted:
! |. Suspend all general bathing with warm
| or cold water.
! = Rub into the skin, thoroughly, every eve
ming when the child is put to bed, some pure oily
substance. Pure olive oil, almond oil, glycerine,
/
mended by DIR. Meiggs
But there is another substance, recently brought
! into notice and extensively used for many other
purposes, that appears to me preferable. allude
to cosmoline This is the purified oily principle
of petroleum. and possesses certain qualities
which are not possessed by any of the above oils.
II is perfectly bland, is rapidly absorbed by the
skin, Is tn certain extent a disinfectant, never
/ becomes rancid has no Odor, and is perfectly
nnirritating. II resembles glycerine in not being
greasy" and is easily washed out Of clothing.
When used preventive, it may be used in
/ its pure state, but may be medieated with cam
phor or carbolic acid in the proportion of five
| grains TO the ounce.
The Injunction of fatty substances has another
| influence which should not be forgotten. Ii pre-
vents the tendency Ia ''catch eold,r which is al
ways a dangerous faetoB In the progress of any
eruptive fever. The Injunction should be eontin-
ned for a week two, either alone or combined
with the administration of belladonna or iodide
/ of arsenic, as above recommended. The latter
| medicine especially if the child is serofulous