Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-06-08
THE PHYSICIANS STANDPOINT.
Medicines are Mes ded, but Doctors ar
slenufol-Word of Warning.

Medicines are Mes ded, but Doctors are
-lenufol-word of Warning.
PHILADELPHIA, June IA special de
patch to the Medical Nelcs, Of this city,
from = stsfr correspondent at Johnstown,
to-day, says: Notwithstanding the fact
that many Of the reporters of daily papers
have sent messages from here indicating
that diseases, the result of exposure, are
exceedingly common, the fact is that in
the three largest hospitals very few cases
of any kind exist and in over 80 per cent
OF these, the individuals are suffering from
injuries incurred during and sitter the
food. The cases OF pneumonia are very
lew and the report that measles is TO large
extent epidemic ID claimed % bs false Too
much care cannot be exercised in the selec-
tiOn and disposiDg Of much of the second
hand clothing which il sent forward ia the
relief trains by charitable persons.
From some Of the clothing which we saw
distributed We feel sure that lack OF such
care may readily result in the production
of p large amount of contagious disease.
The danger of malarial poisoning is, We
believe, not present, simply be ause the
conditions favorable to the production OF
such miasmish absent. The water, sweep
ing through the valley with enormous
force, has carried off in the majority OF
cases the soft mud OF the river banks to
distant and lOW-lying bottom lands, and has
covered the entire site of JOhnstOwn with
a layer OF pare sand and gravel. As a
consequence of this all cesspools have not
only been thoroughly washed out but af-
terward filed with sand. Every particle
of dirt and city filth has been washed
away, and it would be hard to find, hyg
ienicslly speakiug,a a more cleanly spot than
the main portions Of what was once Johne-
town. The danger will be the accumula-
tion of new filth, owing to the large mum
ber of strangers living in tents aud the out
door life Of the survivors.
There is absolutely no use in sending
more physicians here save that by their
training they may assist in the carrying
out of measures belonging TO the realm OF
preventive medicine. The mental condi-
tion of almost every former resident OF
Johns,own ia one Of the gravest character
and the reaction which will set in when
the reality of the whole affair IL fully COM
pretended, can scarcely fail TO produce
many cases OF permanent or temporary in
sanity.
Most of the faces that one meets, both
male and female, are those of the most pro-
found melancholia associated, with an al
most absolute disregard of the future The
nervous system shows the strain it has
borne by trembling Of the hand and OF
the lip in man as we'll as in woman. The
nervous siate il further evinced by pc
ocular intonation OF words, the persons
speaking melancholy, while the voices Of
many rough-lOOking men are changed into
such trem dlous notes of so high pitch as
to make one imagine that a child on the
verge OF tears was speaking.
Crying is so rare that your correspondent
ssw not tear on any face in JOhnstOwn,
bu' the women that are left are haggaTd,
with piuched features aud heavy dark
lines under their eyes. Indeed the evil
dence of systematic disturbance is 80
Ina ked IN almost every Individual who
was present at the time of the catastrophe
that 1t is possible with the eye alone to
separate me residents from those outside.
Everything required IN the way Of sur
gical appliances sesms to be or hand, but
medicines are scarce, and will probably be
nesded more IN the next few days than
heretofore.
A fact in favor of the controlling of any
mslady Is to be found in the very general
exodus Of the township people who crowd
the platform of departing trains. There
can be DO donbt that this movement should
be encouraged to the greetelt possible ex-
tent, and 10 would he we } Il o aces away
from Johnstown, a. not too great a
distance, could be opened for the reeep'
too of those who, while no, entirely dis
abled. are useless at home. The
scarcity of pure spring water, which,
is not tainted by dead animal matter
is pr, ssiDg evil for consideration, but we
doubt if this is ~ important fact at Johns
town as il is further down the river, owing
to the large amount OF dscon posing Il l.sh
IN the water at this latter point No dis
inffctsnt can reach such cause Of disease,
save the action of the large volume OF water
which dilutes all poisonous matter. A
Beard of Health should warn the people Of
the portions Of the country supplied b. the
Conemaugb OF the danger Of drinking Its
waters for weeks to come.