Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-01-13
What Diphtheria Is.

DR.. James M. Kerr, of Pittsburg, has
published an article on the cause and
cure of d1phtheria which is attracting
wide attention. He declares that the
disease is not result of sewer gas. He
says it is local in its first stage, and con-
stitutional in the next, as q result of
blood poisoning, and recommends treat
ment of q simple and effective kind. So
effective is this treatment that out of
forty cases he has lost but one, and
that one through the negligence of
the patients attendants in regard
to diet. The false membrane to the
throat attendant upon the disease
can be removed by local appli-
cations. For this rather powerful
lotion of hydrochloric acid and glycerine
is recommended. But the moment the
membrane forms the patient is threat
ened with another and far more dan
gerous malady. While IT, is process is
going on in the tonsils virulent poison
is distilled in the neighborhood, very
small portion of which, If it passes in to
the stomach, produces acute gastritis
and thus poisons the blood The system
becomes much depressed, the action of
the heart and brain is lowered, ordina-
rily to the verge and sometimes to the
worst condition of paralysis, and
the patient dies, not, as is sup
posed, from asphyxia, but from the
presence of virulent poison in the
blood. After removing the false menu
brane DIR. Kerr puts into the stomach a
simple chemical preparation, containing
magnesia, to combine and neutralize the
dipththeretic poisons and gently remove
them through the proper channels.
Meantime he supports the patient with
nutricious, non-irritant food until the
crisis arrives, when wine, or, if neces-
sary, whisky and brandy are copiously
used to aid in throwing off the clutch
that threatens to choke the life out of
the heart and brain. This of the dis
ease IN its commonest form. Malignant
diphtheria is incurable.
A reporter of the EAGLE has inter-
viewed number of eminent Brooklyn
physicians, and is glad to learn that
something like unanimity has at
length begun to prevail as to the main
characteristics of the disorder. He fin is
that the sewer-gas theory has been
abandoned. The dangerous pneumonia
attending the disease is attributed to
blood poisoning. The system is inoeu-
lated by some specific virus, whether
bacteria or something else, whose ten
dency is to promote putrefaction of the
tissues. they do not profess to know.
The mode of treatment, therefore, has
become more nearly uniform. The
parts first and most tangibly affected,
namely, the throat, fauces and mares,
are locally treated, either by external
application or by washes laid on with a
brush, to DESTROY the false membrane
How the poison is introduced from the
throat into the system, if, indeed, it is,
there is a difference of opinion; but one
of the best authorities interviewed, DIR.
Childs, who had great experience in the
matter, gives it as his opinion that DIR.
Kerr has hit upon an accurate solution
of the process, and that the course Of
treatment recommended by him seems
very plausible. It differs in essentials in
no way from that suggested by the
Brooklyn doctors, namely. to check tie
mem braneous growth with strong
antiseptics, to administer antidotes to
the poison in the stomach and iemove it
naturally, and by tonics and stimulants
to fortify the system and assist it to
throw off the poison that has already
found its way into the circulation.