Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-11-24
THE SPREAD or DIpHTHRRrA

We are indebted to DR.. GoodalI Of
Bennington, formerly of Barton, for
a copy of the New York Medical
Journal, containing an article On the
"Spread Of Diphtheria by Adults,
written by the eminent DIR. jacob,
from which we condense the follow
ing, thinking that it may prove bene-
fetal at this time:
A stout and robust mother, who
had been troubled for some weeks
with sore throat. took her sick child
to the hospital for treatment, iiph-
liberia not being suspected, as 30
child in the honse or vicinity was
known to have the disease An ex-
animation of the child revealed diph-
theritic membrane. It turned out on
investigation that the mother, some
weeks before had been suffering with
sore throat, which had been trouble
some and had left the marks of the
diphtheria in her throat. From all
the facts ascertainable it seemed that
the mother in her work at distance
from her home had contracted the
disease which she gave to her little
daughter, who had 1t much more Sc
verely.
After detailing other circumstances
which went to show that large per
cent of diphtheria cases were traced
to places where adults and others had
been afflicted with sore Threats, Dir.
jacob goes on to remind physicians
and others that while they are paying
much attention to the sanitary condi-
tons of buildings, towns, cities etc.,
they are neglectful Of the greater
cause which is spreading the disease.
He says: II do not mean to say that
house hygiene ought not to be looked
after by the physician in every case of
sickness, but the more [ have seen,
the more it has occurred to me that
there is but one predisposing element,
viz, sore mucous membrane, and but
one cause of individual attack of
diphtheria, viz, direct contagjon.
The learned physician goes on to
speak of the various kinds of diph-
liberia, or rather the different form it
takes and the different organs it eff
fects, and states that whenever the
characteristic membrane is found the
patient is in danger, and the disease
may be communicated to others.
Mild cases communicate dangerous
ones, but severe cases need not nee
essarily cause severe ones. Diph-
liberia is always dangerous to greater
or less degree to the adult himself by
| its direct effect to much larger ex-
| tent, however, to uncounted others by
It's potential influence, its contagious
ness.
Diphtheria is not 50 rare in adults
as it is thought to be, and observa-
ton and Investigations have shown
in hospitals and elsewhere that diph-
iberia among children has often been
traced to diphtheria in adult officers
and employees. Sometimes the cause
cannot be traced at all, but more often
it can be learned who has had the
sore throat, mild it may be, which
has been the cause of sickness anG
death.
| The danger arising from the con.
tagion spread by adults affected Will
mild forms of the diphtheria is that i
is chronic and of contagious char
ter. Speaking of the spread
of the disease by the physi
clan, it is stated that authentic cases
are not known where the disease ha
been carried in the clothing of tn,
doctor, but that they often take tn,
disease and then communicate it
Many cases are known everywher,
where the nurse takes the disease. Il
the close of this article DR.. jacob
refers to twenty years practice an,
the efforts he has made to trace hi
cases to some discoveIable causes
he says: 1t has dawned upon me to
late that it is necessary to look fo
l the cause Of every case of diphtheri
i in the mares or throats of living pei
sons. The spread of the disease b
means of public funerals is referre
J to, and the practice of exposing th
deceased person to public view
> condemned.
"