Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-05-18
Battling With Diptherla.

Diptheria is the most dreaded OF oil
zymotic diseases 1t does not yield read
lily to treatment and the med zeal frater-
nifty and health scientists in general are
yet comparatively in the dark as TO its
cause. In It's last annual report the
State Board of Health of Wiconsin
speaks of diphtheria as disease (which
claims annually larger tax in the way
of human life than any other disease"
and the New York State Board in its
report 1887 says that for three years
past almost exactly one-third of all the
mortality from contagious diseases has
been due TO diphthera
Isolation and dsnfecton have been
effective in preventing the spread of the
disease whenever it has appeared in
Wisconsin. and in Michigan, also. good
results have followed this course Of
procedure. In the latter state the
Board of Health enforced the policy of
isolat on and d siniection Is outbreaks
in 1886. in which there were 332 cases
and II deaths; but in l02 outbreaks
where no restrictive efforts were made.
there were 1850 cases and 339 deaths.
Diphtheria is supposed To be caused
! by germs which effect Judgement in
| the throat and develope membrane,
Oh Il fungoid growth that obstructs the
! breathing of patients and frequently
| chokes them. or causes blood poison
ing. Prof. +. A. Is rye. of the Wiscon-
sin State University. in paper on Dis
eases Germs and Germ diseases" read
before the State Board of Health at its
last annual session. said; mo other
animal than man has disease exactly
resembling diphtheria;" therefore the
difficulties of the case are very great.
| He says, however. that Two germs
! have been found connected with diph-
/ theria VIII may be the cause OF the
| disease; one of these creates a some
what similar affection in calves, the
! other in pigeons.
All the evidence afforded in the sub
iect by 1 New York Board of Health
bears out the theory that the germs OF
! the disease ma, be carried by persons
who have been in contact with the elk;
that the germs remain in the clothing.
the bedding. the carpets. and other
/ hangings and retain their vitality and
power for mischief for a surprisingly
long time.
1t has also been generally established
that disease IS promoted by lack OF
drainage, contaminated water. and the
presence of filth near dwelling places;
and that unclean cellars are largely re-
sponsblo for outbreaks OF diphtheria in
both city and country. Therefore,
health boards are turning their energy
in the direction of sanitation, with en-
couraging results.
As tOthe treatment of the disease. the
doctors are never idle Dlphtheria is
d scusScd at almost every assemblaTc of
medical men, and medical publications
promptly report every discovery of
value by Investigators rs TO cause and
cure. I'm recent issue of the New
York Medical Journal DR.. j. Corbin, of
Brooklyn, reports remarkable success
in the treatment of diphtheria with the
fumes of black oxide Of mercury and
the mild chloride of mercury which he
volatil zcd with a alcohol lamp under
tents which he constructed over his
patients. Other ph scians who had
become aware of DR.. Corbin's success,
applied the same treatment in eases
which came under their care, with
equally happy results. DR.. Corb II
shows record of thirty cases, Of which
twenty-five ended in recovery and five
in dcath-a mortality of 10 per cent,
which the doctor says is an exceedingly
good showing. even if the five deaths
had resulted from "A fl lure of he me h
od of treatment-which in bis opinion
they did not
General publication should be made
for the benefit of mankind of every
A-,uccess in the treatment Of diphtheria
- that physcians by studying the var
~ methods may eventually arrive at
eor. rational course of procedure
y wNA shall effect lly subjugate the
y W, ualady-Ms iautce Wisconsin.
nn'>rrible &. g