Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-23
THE CARE OF DIPHTHERIA.
A Talk With n Sister of st. Mar
Raref-PreYentiOn of Disease.


A Talk With n Sister of st. Mar.
garet-PreventiOn of Disease.
The prevalence of diphtheria at thu
present time, both in Boston and many
suburban cities aud towns, has called
renewed attention to the ravages of this
dreaded disease and the conditions un.
der which it implants and spreads itseli
throught communities.
While outbreaks of the disease occur
without any seeming or adequate cause
at all seasons, the beginning OF winter is
especially marked as the seas on of its
usual approach.
Many believe that the alternate snow
and rain of late November or early De.
cember, and the January thaw" at the
early spring, are the periods of the year
favorable to the establishment of this
idemic, and many homes have cause
dread the presence of ''slushy wealth
T|during the winter time. st ain It
,clear. crisp, cold of winter that lays
m,hildren up with coalds or lays 'em
gfwith diphtheria; its the soft, pleas
b an slushy days that comes every
w an agin," said an old suburban
lurse Of "Mrs. G mp" type. Tt's the
ret feet the children get goin' to an
h,om school. Mos folks thinks that as
Jung as they keep their cellars and sheds
eheaned mp in summer that there ain no
ksar in the cold weather of poisonous
rirs arisin'. But as general thing the
looms ere kept roasting hot, day and
night, and the windows and doors are
never opened, except for minute, and
then by accident
There was much truth in the obser.
walton, although it was crudely ex.
pressed, and any mother who looks over
the appliances for ventilation and the
convenience for drainage will find much
that might be bettered, and so secure
the lives and health of the children as
far as is possible for human care to at.
tain this result. Many mysterious
dyspensation of Providence" can be
found to have its origin IN neglected
cellar. or leaky drain and slnk-spout,
although in many instances people are
so ignorant of necessary sanitary pre-
cautions that the first theory is general
ly accepted in mourning homes.
In conversation with Record report.
er recently, Sis er of the Order of st.
Margaret, who is now nurse in one of
our prominent hospitals, but who for.
merly was engaged in mission work at
the North End. gave many interesting
particulars of her experience with this
disease at that time, with some hints as
to the detection of the first symptoms
and the after-treatment.
1.-THE FIRST SYMPTOMS
Are much like those of heavy cold on
the lungs" she said. 'There is diff
entity in breathing; the child becomes
feverish and stupid. Then there is a
very sharp pain in the glands of tho
neck, just beneath the ear, and much
swelling to be noticed on the outside of
the neck. The tongue is coated, the
throat and the tonsils are especially in.
famed, aud little white spots, which as
they grow larger, turn to dirty yellow
or brown, are seen. There is a peculiar.
disagreeable smell from diphtheritic
soar throat, which often distinguishes it
from any other"
"What is the difference, then, be-
tween the liberated sore throat and
this?'
"The liberated sore throat is what
old.fashioned people called quincy, but
they called the diphtherit.c affection
'putrid sore throat even before the real
nature of diphtherIa was understood.
"The first thing that ought to be done
ia such a case, is to call in a doctor, but
G, Cling with chloride potash or -four
of sulphur, mixed with water, is often
found beneficial. The patient should be
put to bed Immediately and kept lying
down as much as possible, and nourish-
pg food should be given, 50 that rest