The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-01-19
Msefal aud Curious.
Scarlet Fever,

In devoting little space TO the above disease,
we have no apology to offer; word OF explana-
ton, however, may he necessary. We do not
propose to stand between any case Of Scarlet Fe-
yer and your family physician. The disease
must not be trified with for an hour, and when
you have an intelligent, educated physician with
in reach. send for him at once. and foiiOr his ad
aice
In this great country of ours, however, there
are many large districts in which people live, and
whole families of children at times suffer from
this terrible seourge, with reliable medical
adviser within reach. 1t is in the hope of bene-
hitting this class shat write, and with the deeI
est conviction that our wor,is of advice will he
the means of saving lives, If needed.
The disease is divided into three forms or types,
by medical men, but the difference is in degree
only; the worst cases being accompanied with
disease IN the glands of the throat. All the
forms are characterized by intense redness and
Inflammation of the skin. usually covering the
entire body. The cause is blood poison, the
same IN its nature in all the forms, but varying
III intensity in different subjects, localities or
seasons. 1t is highly contagious hence. when a
child Is attacked, the first thing 10 he done, II
there are other children in the family, is TO have
the sick room rs far removed from the common
| living rooms as possible; keep every other child
out of ii, and To prevent its spread in the commu
nifty, lot all mothers, and those having the care
ofehildren, keep away from the house, but espec-
tally from the room in which the child is confined.
The disease cannot he cut short by treatment,
any more than small pox or measles; let this be
| remembered in the start. The poison must ex-
pend itself before cure can come, and like both
the other diseases named the skin is the seat of
| the disease. In Scarlet Fever, however, the
rhoie surface is inflamed at once, and 30 intense
| ly as to resemble a slow blister tbs cutiele, or
external portion, peeling of the cure progress
es. Herein lies The ddRger-the skin contains
many thousands Of small openings, OF pores,
through which, in health, the waste matter OF
| the system passes off. When inflamed, and fur
| days together this function is impaired or sus-
| pended, other organs suffer directly ffom this
cause, and the whole system indirectly, from the
| high grade of fever induced by so large an in
| famed surface,
Admitting these premises the treatment fol-
lows as q clear inference. We must sOothe the
inilamed surface, and if possible aid the skin t6
perform its suspended functions, until the blood
poison has expended its power. If the throat
| symptoms are not Immediately alarming, aiHios
no treatment riH be necessary, beyond keeping h'
| EhOIe surface reH dRoiHted Nth pure, fresh lard
Every time the patient becomes restless if every
hour, grease the whole body, using nothing bu
lard and the palm of the hand. Relief and quie
rest Immediately follow every application, th'
patient often going to sleep bsfare IL is over
The writer, after much experience in the treat
ment of this terrible disease is free to say, tina
he would not undertake the cure Of n case with
out the use of this simple agent. In large pro
portion of cases. little else in the way of treat
ment will he required. Great care must be Ia
ken to guard the child against exposure during
eonvalescence, even in the mildest eases.