The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-06-06

II is not my intention TO prescribe for
this dreaded usalady, but simply 10 give
an account Of my experience as q nurse
in an extreme case. In company with
some friends spent the holidays Of last
year in charming country house fitted
with all the modern Improvements.
While there. one Of my friends, who, in
getting up Christmas entertainment
had oves-exerted herself and become de-
bilisated. .aqok sudden cold which nap
idly developed. with diphtheritie symp-
toms.
Being strong and well, not sensitive
about the throat and having no fear Of
the disease, volunteered ar nurse. A
cathartic was administered and the doc
tor sent for II believe that II the bowels
could always be moved in the first stages
of a heavy cold. diphtheria and pneumo-
mia would be less frequently fatal
When the doctor came the patient was
lying on sofa He advised her TO inn
mediaiely go TO bed. and remain there
until he gave her permission to rise. He
also suggested isolating the patient from
the family. Accordingly the patient and
myself were assigned suite of rooms
consisting Of very large bedroom,
(which contained two beds, a bath room
and dressing room. There were four
large windows in the bedroom, and a
window in each of the other rooms
The doctor ordered eounter-irritant
for the throat-pork srrinkled with red
pepper. which never blisters- After sp-
plying the remedy the patient complain
ed that the grains Of pepper made her
nervous, and mustard was substituted
This, of course, made the throat more
tender, and couId be kept on only few
minutes at a time. Then it occurred to
me that thin slice of pork applied TO
the inilamed skin might soothe it, and.
as proof. the patient fell asleep soon after
il was applied. Upon awaking another
mustard plaster took the place Of the
pork, and so we worked for nearly twen-
ty-four hours. This seems like heroic
treatment, but the case was extreme aud
demanded immediate relief
All this time the patient could not
speak intelligibly. but utconyeyed her ideas
by signs. The throat inside was green
with virulent poison, to remove which
the doctor left white powder, one ingre-
dent of which was chlorate of potash
he also prescribed a gargle Of alcohol, di-
luted as little as possible. tI have great
faith in alcohol as destroyer of diphthe-
ric poison-) The patient having had
diphtheria in a malignant form few
years previous, understood her condition
precisely she knew that the generally
fatal membrane was forming. and realiz-
ed how necessary il was to aid the doctor
and nurse by complying with all their
directions.
The room we occupied was provided
with cylinder stove, which proved of
great service, not only to warm the room,
but to heat irons which kept the pa
tents feet warm, 10 warm everything
which she touched, and to burn every
handkerchief and towel which she used.
When the membrane began to dissolve,
the patient expectorated constantly, and
tore old Undertaking into pieces for
her use. So conscious was the sick one
of the malignancy of her disease, and to
the consequent danger Of contagion, that
she would not allow me to touch one of
those pieces of cloth, but insisted upon
having brought to the bedside the fire.
shovel, upon which she placed them, and
upon which they were thus carried to
the stove. The mustard plasters and
pork were disposed of in the same way.
Every precaution was taken TO prevent
contagion. Not one Of the family were
allowed to enter the room. The dishes
from which the patient ate or drank were
washed in the bathroom, and again
washed by themselves in the kitchen, so
fearful were we of spreading the disease.
The window of the bathroom was not
closed during the week (the patients
bed, of course, stood where not breath
of air could blow upon herr; the doctor
remarked the purity of the air every
time he entered the sick room, and de-
clared the admirable sanitary condition
of the house, coupled with good nursing,
had saved his patient neglected b say
that the patients strength was kept up
by small drafts of milk, given at frequent
intervals when swallowing was possible.
After the danger was passed, the sick
one being very weak, nervous and disin-
clined to sleep, the doctor ordered
small morphine pill at night; the next
night half pill then quarter, and so
ON until sleep came naturally. A milk
tonic was ordered, delicate food was pro-
vided, and in two weeks my patient was
as strong as ever.
LILLIAN MAINE