Huntsville gazette., 1889-11-23
CONCERNING TUMORs.
The Recognized Modern Treatment I
Boils and Carbuncles.


-Boils and Carbuncles.
Nithinsa a few years there has accumu-
lated evidence sufficient to satisfy most
physicians that both carbuncles and
boils are purely local troubles, and OF
parasitic nature. In former times they
were considered of unconstitutional origin
and the fault of the blood. The actual
exciting cause is now held to be a mi.
crococcus, and when this first estab-
fishes itself in the skin the fact is man
ifested by pimple. Once implanted,
the germs multiply and spread, and as
the tissues around the original center
or pimple become infested there is ex-
tendeds Inflammation and swelling.
With the germ theory of boils practftal-
ly established, it follows that they gre
contagious, and it is now accepted that
they are markedly so, and that where
''crops' occur it is in consequence OF
elf-infection-"each successive boil
being due to the implantation in the
skin of fresh seeds or germs from the
preceding one.' Not only by system
of. Standardization may person kept
up a continuous outbreak of bOilS, but
1t is possible for him to cause an erup-
tion of the same in others. Intimate
contact is necessary in order that the
essential germs may be transmitted
from one person to Notwithstanding
the same bed or wearing the same cloth
ing furnishes the favorable conditions.
Carbunclessare not identical with boils-
they differin many respects-but they
rax1fHn Hnxvf1v av.n n1afi
what distant, and are alike in some re-
spects. Both, it isssafe to assume, are
purely local and Of parasitic nature.
When these facts became evident to
physicians, Of course they changed
their treatment. Once, in treating car
buncles, the rule was to make very
free incisions and q number of
them, generally quartering the
abscess, and that had to be done early.
Then there was scraping to do, the
sloughing and diseased mass being, as
far as possible, removed. AT the pres
ent time that sort Of treatment is COM
paratively rarely applied, except in adj
vanced stages of the disease, but, in
stead, as soon as the carbuncle comes
under the observation of physician he,
as a. rule, tries to stay its progress by
the means ofsonie agentzwhich will de-
stroy the mass of germ growth. Car
bolit4acid, but slightly diluted by means
of glycerine,is is the most popular reme-
dy. That is injected into the carbuncle
in number of places for several days.
Considerable pain results from;the oper
alton, but it generally lessons much in
the course of two or three hours. The
benefit Of the treatment Is usually no
ticeable in twenty-four< hours, and in
three or four days often the. disease is
arrested, the pain and swelling steadily
subsiding. When it is considered that
underline old stateof treatment of car
bundles Intense suffering persisted for
days and days, and recovery was delayed
for weeks, it, will appear that the new
method is far in advance. Besides that,
when it is applied early, there need be
practically little danger from the dis
elsewhere once it often killed. In a
very early stage of fcarbuncles-and it is
the same with boils-it is almost always
possible to abort them by keeping them
soaked in some antiseptic solution. But
the period when that treatment can be
effective. soon passes. The conclusions
from the foregoing are that people who
are threatened with boils or carbuncles
should seek medical advice early-not
wait, as they now generally do, until
they think the trouble ''has come to q
head" and the knife is needed.-Boston
Herald. II 81 .s4aH