The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-01-27
Diphtheria and lis Cause.

Diphtheria and lis Cause.
The following able article upon 9
sccurge that is proving itself ever
more fatal than smallpox, is by one o.
the most eminent physicians and sur
geons in Pennsylvania. BY reason ot
his familiarity with the subject it pos
sesses many points of interest
A few years ago, when men Of science
were telling their wondrous tales about
organisms SO small that the very high.
est powers Of the microscope were
requisite to determine anything aboui
them, and whose powers Of multipli.
cation were so rapid that they would
fill the earth in q brief time IL moi
checked by natural means, we all fell
that it was time society was started
for the prevention of useless knowl
edge. Whether these mites came from,
previously existing mites or from dead
matter was question SO unimportant
that it hardly concerned the mites
themselves. to say nothing of human
beings. But here, as 80 often before,
some unexpected turn Of the wheel has
brought Insignificant things to the sur.
face, and these bacteria, for such we
must now call them in the aggregate.
came to be regarded as actually forcing
themselves upon our notice because il
is asserted that they are the active
agents in producing among men such
diseases as measles, whooping cough,
scarlet fever, diphtheria and the like
in lower animals producing charbon,
chicken cholera, sheep rot and other
similar diseases hence, then, we can't
afford to ignore them.
Doubtless we would be safe in the
assertion that these organisms are OF
vegetable nature and approach more
nearly to the fungi than to any other
group; and further, that these disease
germs will probably prove to be specific
in character; that is, each kind produces
special disease.
In q recent lecture before the Phila-
delphia Academy Of Natural Science
Professor H. O. Wood gave to a crowded
house clear, popular history OF
these organisms and OF their relations
to diphtheria, both the ordinary and
malignant forms. His results are 80
striking and so important that we will
epitomize here.
For some years Drs. Wood and For
mad (both of the medical department of
the University of Pennsylvania) have
been investigating the cause of diph-
liberia under the direction and auspices
OF the national board Of health. In
the spring OF 1880 rabbits were inocu-
lated with diphtheritic membrane from
Philadelphia patients. These animals
died, but few if any of them with diph-
liberia; most succumbed to lung dis
ease. This consumption, however, was
proved not to be direct result OF the
diphtheritic poison. So that expert.
ment settles no main issue.
Next, they inserted the diphtheritio
membrane in the opened windpipe Of
the animals. This produced sore throat
and membrane, which was nearly like
were found abundance Of globular'
transparent bodies, which when magni-
fed several thousand times are no
larger then pin heads. These bodies
are Bacteria specially known as Micro
cocci. Further it was shown that these
micrococci may also be present in ordi-
nary sore throat.
Last spring a fearful epidemic OF
diphtheria prevailed in Ludington,
Michigan, which is said to have de.
stroyed about one-third of the children
attacked in the place, and most Of them
were so taken. From material obtained
there 1t was found that the blood oi
these diphtheritic. patients was full OF
micrococci, often forming masses when
the individuals were compacted by
growth. They were found in the white
blood corpuscles and also discovered
blocking up and distending the blood
vessels of the kidney. The more there
are of these in the blood evidently the
worse is the attack.
Inoculating animals (rabbits) with the
diphtheric poison from Ludington, il
resulted in genuine attack Of diph-
liberia. which proved fatal in few days
The disease was simply that Of Luding
ton, except that it was produced in the
lower animals. Post mortem examina
tion Of the rabbits showed that even
the bone marrow was full Of micrococci
So with material obtained from the
diphtheritic rabbits he inoculated
others, and so through several sets ol
rabbits, producing death in each in
stance from diphtheria. Further ex.
periments proved that these micrococc
were either the direct cause of diphthe
ria or that they carried the poison
which was. In either alternative We
can look upon them as offending parties
Now, as in ordinary sore throat, il
mild diphtheria, and in the malignant
form, these micrococci show no con
stant differences OF structure undel
high powers Of the microscope, to whaI
is the different grade OF the disease
they produce duep Simply to the re-
productive capacity Of the micrococci
Thus, those taken from mild forms o
diphtheria would only reproduce up tt
the fifth generation; these from Luding
ton speedily ran through ten genera
tions.
Experiments have shown that ther,
are certain conditions under which
these organisms lose their reproductiv,
capacity to o great degree, and henc,
with 1t their power for harm. Henc,
the great problems in the healing ar
are: what will destroy this out Of ths
body and SO prevent the disease from
arising; or what will kill them or les
sen this power OF reproduction in the
body when the disease is contracted, ant
at the same time not injure the patient
Signs OF great hope may appear il
this connection. Ii would hardly bs
putting the case too strongly TO assert
there is fair probability that by pro
cess Of modified incubation, compar.
A Morman MIracIc