The Wilmingtonian., 1886-05-15

hensible of all, the effect of quinne in mall
arial affections. When we turn from disea-
ses of this class and consider the treatment
of typhoid fever, the digestive diseases of
infants, scarlet fever, pneumonia, small pox,
and host of others whose treatment stands
upon parallel basis, what drugs do we find
associated with them as asespecially curative in
their action?
The true meaus for the relief of diseases of
this class was first practically formulated by |
Graves and Stokes and the men of that day. |
Stokes said that such diseases have a tend
ency to a spontaneous and favorable termin-
alton, but that in their course the powers of
life are attacked by most malignant influ-
ence. By food and stimulauts we support
nature until the struggle is past so that in
effect we ''cure the patient by preventing
from dying" Since Stokes day there has
been no improvement made upon the method
of treatment he so graphically described, ex-
cept its further perfection in detail. In diet
then and general management we must seek
for our most effective weapons with which
to combat such diseases. 1t has been said
that our present treatment of typhoid fever
is unsatisfactory. For my own part | am
entirely unable to endorse this statement, for
there is no disease treat with more satsfac-
tion and none in which the results of my
course appear TO me more evidently beneii-
cal to the patient. There is no single mat
ter nnocted with the treatment of this
disease that requires such careful attention
and is SO important as that of diet. The pro-
portion of patients who die Of typhoid fever
if they fall under the care of wise physi-
clan at the very beginning of the attack, is
probably comparatively small. The mortal
ity statistics Of hospitals are constantly quo
ted to show how very fatal disease typhoid
fever is hat one in every five TO seven per-
sons attacked dies. This has long seemed to
me a most erroneous deduction, iOI the rea-
sons that, in the first place. as a rule it is on
ly persons suffering with the disease in its
severer forms who find their way to hospitals
and second, because the larger number of
those who die in hospitals were already in
such bad condition before their admission
that there was little hope that any treatment,
however judic;ous, would avail for their
cure. | am more and more struck at the
end of each yearly term of hospital service
with the fast that lose very few of my ty-
phoid fever patients who were brought to
the hospital in ths early stage Of tue disease.
| What is the treatment that effects results so
much to be desired aud so superior to these
attained in many other diseases? 1t is at
tention to the following points-frst, and
most important, the diet second, the entor-
cement Of absolute rest and third, the adj
ministratiOn of medicines. BY careful atteu-
ton to these three indications for treatment
and by giving them prominence in the order
in which they are named, comparatively few
of those attacked will die, if only the treat
ment is instituted early, and they will be
those in whom the "malignant influence
mentioned by Stokes assumes from the be-
ginning too preponderating a role for our sup
porting measures to overcome.
With regard to the paramount importance
of careful attention to matters of diet in the
treatment Of the digestive diseases Of child
ren, it is hardly necessary to say much,
especially as have elsewhere treated OF the
subject sUmeWh hat in full. Besides. the fact
that III diet do we possess ouc most powerful
ino"ns Cor tFe tnf this Glats Of disease is
SO patent that 1t is almost universally ac-
knowledged When, however, we come to
discuss the Status of the treatment of some
of the other diseases mentioned, such as scar
let fever, pneumonia, small pox, and others
of the same type, the tone found to pre- ade
the larger pant Of medical literature is very
different, There is much difference Of Opin.
ion and constant change among authorities
with regard to what treatment is best There
are many who will refuse to accept as true
the statement that our present treatment OF
these diseases is indeed unsatisfactory, ant
that our only means of successfully combat
ing them now known is in supporting the
strength by appropriate diet and stmulluts
and iu ameliorating such sysptoms as we ait
ably by the use of tho requisite drugs. Thh
mode OF treatment which is so successful
and accompliahes such great results in slow
ly acting diseases like typhoid fever ami the
digestive disorders q children, if compare
u''Ni1 PShCi'Soo NA'u tulhSu dSdllou Ill va
dies which may kill in twenty-four or forty
eight hours from the time Of their onset
Our present treatment of such diseases is iu
deed most unsatisfactory, for we are almost
powerless to affect anything toward arrest
ing their rapidly fatal course.
There is ut the present time actually d,
drug which is universally associated in tlt
minds of physicians with the treatment oi
one of the commonest and most fatal of dis
eascs-scaret fever! Is it not then fair con
clusiOn that in oar treatment Of this disease
we should make i 1ur first duty to do al
that we can to support the strength by die
and stimulautS, and, when possible BY til,
use Of drugs which tend to effect the sam,
result?
Plogres would he rendered eaSier, and i
would be t. the advantage o tie sci, nee o
medicine If there was more general agree
mert NTH regard 70 the extent to which W
are able, BY any Of the now known methods
OF treatment, to modify the course Of man,
common diseases. 1t has always seemed tC
me that one Of the great obstacles to on
advance toward more successful treatment
is that the degree Of our present knowledge
is kept con, family upon a wrong bass
II in diet and regimen we 0 sess our most
I -