The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-11-15
Diphtheria.

Inc iOIlOWlnS III TSlereACe 10 cur
ing that dreadful disease, diptheria
was handed reporter with the re
quest that it be published. Tn,
lady states that she had seven chill
dren down with the disease and al
recovered except one, it being giver
different treatment prior to her re
ceiving the following recipe. The
instructions, she says, must be rig
idly followed:
As soon as the first symptoms o
the disease appear, begin treatment
In very energetic manner. If the
patient is an adult give him a warn
sitz bath of about twenty minutes
Surround him with blankets during
the bath. so as to favor perspiration
The feet should be placed in hot
/ foot bath in the meantime, and the
head should be frequently wet with
cool water. Afterth bath, quickly
sponge the whole body with water a
little cooler than that of the bath
Then put the patient to bed and
cover him up warm. Keep the feet
warm, cool the head by frequent
bathing, and sponge the whole body
every hour or two with tepid water
if the patient is very feverish.
If the patient is child, warm
pack will be preferable to a sitz bath.
Wiring a wooden sheet out of water
little more than blood warm.
Spread it quickly upon the bed,
place the patient upon it, and quick
ly envelop him. Then wrap him
snugly with dry blankets and let
him sleep for half an hour if he
feels SO inclined, as ne usually will.
Follow the pack by tepid sponging,
as directed after the sitz bath.
After putting the patient to bed,
apply, alternately, hot lamentations
and cold compresses. Fold fan
mel cloth twice, so as 10 give four
thicknesses, wiring it out of water as
hot as can be borne dry enough so
that it will not drip, and apply at
once to the throat. After a lapse of
three to, five minutes, apply cold
compress for the same length of
time. Then re-apply the fomenta-
ton, and continue to alternate until
each has been applied four or five
times. Then apply a cool compress,
and change it as often as it becomes
warm.
In ordinary cases, it will be sufli-
cient to wet the cool compress in the
coolest well water that can be OBJ
tanned; but in cases in which there
is great irritation of the throat, snow
or pounded ice should be applied,
being placed between the folds of
the compress.
BY all means avoid the use of all
of those caustic applications which
are so commonly employed in this
disease. When white patches ap-
pear in the back part of the mouth,
touch them every two or three hours
with pure lemon juice, using a swab
of soft linen or sponge attached to
the end of a lead pencil or & small
stick.
If the patient is old enough, some
relief will be given by using gar
gle of water acidulated with vine
gar. Another excellent gargle which
destroys the vegetable parasites al
WAYS present in this disease is So
luton of permanganate of potash.
The crystal can be obtained of any
druggist. Place two or three in a
glass of water, and stir until they
are dissolved. The fluid should not
be taken into the stomach, though
no harm will result If few drops
are swallowed.
A very favorite remedy with many
physicians is the inhalation of the
vapor of warm vinegar. The vine
gar may be heated in a coffee pot,
and inhaled from the nozzle A plan
highly recommended is the inhala-
tion of the vapor which arises when
lime is Stacked in a vessel. These
measures will often give great relief.
The sick room should be well ven
tilated, in order to carry away as
rapidly as possible the foul germs
which result from the disease, and
thus prevent their reabsorption into
the blood. The dietshould be plain
and light, though should be given to
sustain the nutrition of the patient
Oatmeal Cruel and mild fruit are
usually well received. Milk may be
employed when the patient is accus-
toned to its use. The same regu-
larity in meals should be observed
as in health.