St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-11-27
Another Cure for DipI,,heria.

Mrs. F. A. Bingham of Wethersfeld
sends to the Hartford Times the fol-
lowing communication in reference to
diphtheria
am constantly hearing of diphthe
ria as fatal disease, and there is
scarcely day that | do not hear of
some instance where it has stolen in
and taken away some beloved house
hold jewel. am reminded that what
has been of good to us we should not
keep exclusively to ourselves. and ac-
cordingly wish to make this state
ment distinctly and with no qualifica-
ton that diphtheria in no instance
need be fatal Having made this as
sertion, | will give my experience as
proof, and | could give many more.
During the past ten years my family
of five children have been attacked by
this insidi0us disease quite number
tell which) and | have succeeded in
aTresting its progress every time with
out the patient being sick over three
days. My husband was taken violent
ly with it, aud was very sick indeed.
| placed him in hot bath, keeping
! him there over half an hour, with the
water constantly renewed to keep up
the temperature. | then threw a sheet
about him wrung from water at abou
| him, and he went to bed where he
staid sixty hours. The sole substance
| he took during that time was ice in
tiny Jumps, and all, the cold water he
cared to drink. The only treatment
gave him after that was hot fomenta-
tons for his back when the pain was
severe. He perspired profusely, and
the smell of diphtheria WAS so rank
that | was forced to change his clothes
famed and the coating in large patches
and his fever was very high, and he
stood as good a chance to die, my
neiglbors thought, as IA man need. In
spite of their gloomy predictions at my
rashness in not sending for II doctor.
he ''lived and grew finely" as the old
lady said. With slight variations this
is always my treatment, and | do not
believe that one case in Il hundred
would be fatal, if treated thus. | feel
no more fear of it among my children
than do of an ordinary cold in the
head On no account would allow Il
patient any thing to eat at all, until
the fever is all gone. | know of 4
Young lady with diphtheria (who, al
though under homeopathic physi-
clans treatmen) knowing of number
of eases becoming fatal from the pa
tient being INDUCED with food too
soon, resolved to avert the DAGGER and
went without food for five days. The
membrane came from her throat in q
solid mass or sheet, but she recovered
and she was altogether better after
wards. | want to reiterate these two
things, and if every mother will notice
and act upon them in the event of thi:
complaint attacking her little ones, she
can ward off the dangerous foe.
. Give no nutriment of any sort but
ice and water, until the fever is com
pletely subdued (every form of food
only nourishes the poisonous growth
of the disease), and keep the child per-
, spring. We see mould growing upor
things left in damp places; we see
toadstools come up out of decay :; anG
, let us Just reflect that the coating
which appears upon the throat is {
fungus growth, indicating that there i.
Il decaying condition of the blood
caused 10y the entrance of something
foreign, and this poison must have {
chance to work off, and as in almos
. all diseases the pores are the sures
, vent. 1t seems strange that million:
must he the victims of such scOurg1
before they learn that nature is no
: only loving mother, but wise one
| and if we pursue her indications will
a spirit of investigation, our little chill
r dren need not be laid away before we
have seen leaf of the lovely bud.
wax wrathful at the sight of the litti,
white hearse. and the badge of hushet
song, and baby laughter. and empt,
cradle that greet us every time almos
: 1--WE 90 about the streets. Mothers,
charge your memories once more ID,
, not let the little ones die of diphtheria