Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-24
THE DIPHTHERIA SCARE.


Nothing Ike the present diphtheria scare
has ever been known in Springfield. With
nearly One-third the pupils Of the public
schools at home from fear of the disease,
and nervous mothers sick with anxiety lest
their little ones contract it, the situation is
sufficiently serious. 1t is more than prob
able, however, that the cause for alarm has
been very much exaggerated. The deaths
from diphtheria have been little more than
one in one thousand of the population of
the city, which must be admitted to be a
very small number. People seem to have
the idea that diphtheria is fearfully con-
tagiOus, almost a. much so as smallpox
This is not the case. So great a medical
authority as Prof. Austin Flint, NJ. d., dis
tinctly says of the diphtheria, Whether it
be one of the communicable diseases
that is diffuSed by contagiOn
or infection is still an open question" {"
And yet here are the schools depupuIated d
and little ones kept in the house by their
parents the livelong day, by the hundreds,
for fear of the chronic cOntagiOn of a dis
ease which the medical authorities have not
say, however, that Springfield physicians,
with whom have cOuyerSed, unite in pro
nOuncing the disease very contagious. One
physician said, Il know that it is contagious
since have had examples of it right in my
own practice. l knew a beautiful little
boy, who was in perfect health. He went
with his mother to see a neighbor, and ther,
he met little girl about his own age. II,
kissed the little thing and played with hel
during the entire visit. 1t proved kiss Of
death indeed, since the little girl was taker
down with the diphtheria that very night
and the disease manifested itself in the lit
tie boy in a short time and caused his death
1t was proven that the little girl had tn,
dlphthera at the time the visit was made
though her parents thought the trouble Wa.
simply bad sore throat. 1t has only beeI
year or so ago, since a patient went to
prominent physician of this city complain
ing of a sore throat. The physician loOket
into the patients throat and it was not lonI
before both patient and physician wer,
down with diphtheria. Both recovered.
have seen so many examples of the cOnta
gious nature of diphtheria right here il
Springfield, that am confident that it i
contagious
DR.. Kennan, another physician. says tha
in the open air there is no possible DANCE
of contagiOn or infection from diphtheria,
bat that in a crowded. close schOOl-rOOm OF
public room, where the close air is breathet
by large number of persons, and wher,
the children come into such close contact
there is danger, If any of tn.
children have the disease, that II
may be communicated to the Others.
The American encyclopedia states tn,
curious fact that diphtheria rarely occur
except as All epidemic, and that only few
sporadic cases were observed in the UniteC
States prior to 1856, but that since tina
time there have been epidemics in differen
parts of the country. The disease is proba
bly, severe enough in Springfield, just a
present, to be considered an epidemic
Springfield is not alone in having a preya
lence of diphtheria. Many cases are re
ported, just now, all through Ohio, and on,
of the villages of northern Ohio has closeC
its schools and settled down to the care O
its diphtheria patients. Many nervous
parents in this city are wild with alarm
Some mothers keep their children out of the
open air altogether, and know two case.
where the mothers have taken their children
and left Springfield for some other city, t.
remain until after the disease has disap
peared. 1t is probable that few heavy
frosts and two or three vigorous cold wave,
will stamp out the disease more effectuaIly
than several reservoirs of medicine.
THEORY.
An intelligent lady who lives on west
Pleasant street has theory that the present
prevalence of diphtheria among the children
is caused by their collecting the decayed
leaves and vegetable matter ont of the gut
tiers and off tire sidewalks, just at this time.
TO build bonfres of them. She says: "Some
authorities believe that diphtheria is caused
by species of parasitic fungus, the
spores and sporules of a cryptogramiC
plant, since this vegetable fungus growth is
created by the diphtheria. | believe that