The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-10-29
Diphtheria.

10 the Edltor OF the MINER:
BUTTE, Oct. 26, 1884.
AS there is considerable interes
manifested here at present as tt
whether there is or is not any danger
from diphtheria, present to YOU
readers the following article by DR.
Jacobs.
In paper read before the medical
society of the county of New York
on the 22d ult. ~. Y Medical Jour-
nall, DR.. jacob, who it will be gen.
orally conceded is not excelled as an
authority on diphtheria, declared that
adults and others suffering from
'slmple sore throats." are largely re.
spopsible for the spread of deadly
dlpbtheria. He insists on the propa-
CATION of the disease from the germ
furnished by antecedent cases, and
maintains that it is as senseless 10
look for its cause In moist walls and
sewers Except, we suppose, in so far
as the latter are capable of carrying
the essential germ of the dlsease), as
it is to examine these for the cause OF
smallpox or scarlet fever. Preventive
| measures, he says, will be more ef-
fective when we look for the cause of
| every case of diphtheria in the mares
or tbroats of living rersons.
This form is frequent in the adult,
! in whom it loses nothing, however,
of its contagi0usness.
.Diphtheria in the adult proves
dangerous to the community mostly
because it does not restrain the pa
tient from communicating the dis
ease.
It is apt to last long: Firstly, be-
cause most cases occur on q surface
covered with pavement epithelium
(tonsils); Sc ,ondly, because of the
constant exposure and neglect on the
part of the patient. Even without
it, diphtheria may LAST weeks and
more: with it, it is subject to sudden
reiapses. AS long as it lasts 1t Is con-
tagious. .
There is as much diphtheria out of
bed as in bed; n early as much out of
doors as indoors. Many q mild case
ls walking the streets for weeks
without caring or thinking that some
of his victims have been weDt over
before he was quite well himself.
To condense DIR. Jacobs paper,
these would be the main points:
There Is probably no spontaneous
origin of diphtheria, any more than
tht re- is q spontaneous origin OF chol'
era or scarlatina.
Diphtheria is contagious. Severe
forms may beget severe or mild
forms. Mild cases may beget mild or
severe cases ~
What has been called follicular
tonsoIitis is mostly diphtheria. 1t is
seldom dangerous to the patient. as
the tonsils have but very little lymph
communication with the rest of the
body. But is contagious.
As diphtheria is but a mild aztec.
ton in many adults, who disregard
it and frequently do not care to men
ton its existence, pain in swallowing
and moderate malaise being the only
svmtoms, the question of transmits
sion by means of clothing, etc, on
the part of the third person, is capa-
BILE of becoming more difficult to an
swer than it ever was. Many case
which has been believed to be thus
carried is probably one of direct con.
tagion from the patient to q second
n9rson, from the second to third.
Within the past week l was called
to see the wife and children of Mr..
Ewing of East Park street. The
Board of Health investigated and
pronounced the case foliicular ton
silIitls. I, in wishing to preserve
harmony, so far stultified my judg-
ment as to agree with them as the
disease was of a mild type. There
are in the family two cases OF diph-
theritic Group, which may eventual
ly terminate fatally. l make no
comments. Anybody wishing to see
nv qualifications as practi. loner OF
medicine can do so by coming to my
Office. Follicular tonsillitis is neither
contagious or infectious, and 1t ls
rare to find every member of fam
iiy suffering with that disease at the
same time. J. II. CARROLL, NJ. u.