Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-15
THE DREAD DISEASE.
Some Important Facts Relative to
Diphtheria Care that Parents

HOW COntag1On IL carried.
Among other important subjects that
came under the attention and discussion
of the Iowa and Illinois Central District
Medical Society at its meeting at Daven-
port last week, was that much dreaded
disease - diphtheria. The physicians
present all agreed that diphtheris is a
filth disease. and that in many instances
the source of the disease was found in the
very homes of the victims. The disease
Lneded only foul air to develop its
growth-such as comes from defective
drains or sewers, or decomposing filth.
Dr.. Cantwell, city physician of Daven-
port. demonstrated by statistics that
damp air is a nourisher of the disease.
The system of the patient is affected by
it through incubation, and it takes place
usually at the nose or throat. to the mu
ceus me mbrane Of which it attaches it.
sel!; it is carried in the air. or in the
water or other Observation-Disclosures the
botiCu OuCSb bhO Poioph Shoi ohSS
into the system difficult if the lining
mem brane of the throat and nose is in d
perfectly heslthy state, and easy if in
famed. as in acute or chronic catarrh; a
simple sore throat especially furnishes all
the conditions favorable for incubation.
An eastern journal recently contained
an article on the disease which bears out
almost exactly the views expressed by
most of the physicians present at the
meeting of the Iowa and Illinois Medicsl
association. Says this Journal: How
to escape diphtheria is at least par
TALLY answered. when the cause
and methods by which the poi
son is conveyed are described One point
needs to be brought into great promi
nence-viz: that when the air passages
are in healthy state it is not easy for
the poison of the disease to fix itself-One
with a sore throat is in the most tavOra
BILE condition to receive the poison
and take the disease This fact par-
ents must remember; ard they who
would purchase safety for their little ones
must be especially careful of them when
| ever they have throat trouble, even if it
| appears but trifling. Never under any
circumstances, should child having a
sore throat. even though the attack be
the slightest possible, be sent to school
| before it has completely recovered.
| Overcrowded as many school buildings
are, they are often hotbeds for diphthera
poison. Children with diphtheria do not
always appear TO be i'll; far from 1t
Many child having the disease in a mild
| form-but just as dangerous TO others as
though 1t were of malignant types
vet able to attend school, at least during
the first day or two of an attack. When
the average mother has child i'll, what
ever The disease, if her neighbors and
| friends fail to visit her then, she feels
hurt and considers them lacking in sym
patty. 1t makes no difference if they
have children of their own for whom they
fear possible contagion; she will accept
| no excuse This feeling leads many TO
take risks which are no less than sinful,
and so Contagion is carried from house 10
house, and lives are absolutely thrown
away rather than that some neighbor be
sighted. A child i'll should invariably be
qusrantined until a physician gives the
assurance that the disease is not 'catch
ing" Once make that custom genera
and you greatly reduce the death rate.
A child suffering from diphtheris
should be isolated from the first aud kept
| so for about three weeks after GONZALES
ence begins. The air of its rooms should
ne saturated with anticipates, and under
the physicians directions every possible
chance of the poison being conveyed
through the nurse into other rooms of the
house, or elsewhere, should be prevented
Every identical thing which has been il
the atmosphere of The sick room should
be thoroughly disinfected before it leaves
it. As to how to prevent children from
acquiring the disease other than by ex
posture to an infected person, the only
way is to provide for them the best ny
/ gienic conditions. To make HON,
healthy is the first step to take in pre-
ventlon.
Perfect ventilation is. of course, imper
alive. If child is much in the oper
air. it is less likely to take cold easily
and that colds render children more liable
to take dephtheria must be always KEEP
in mind If child is troubled witt
chronic nasal catarrh or has enlarged
tousls. and is frequent sufferer from
sore throat, it should be held by the par
ents as sufficient evidence that their HON,
is unhealthy. If satisfied that errors OF
their own part lack OF cleanliness, i'm
perfect ventilation, etc.-are not &C
countsble for its unhealthiness. then they
should move to other quarters withou
delay.
Let everyone understand that if diph
iberia enters their homes, they will be al
most always to blame for it. When tn
responsibility is placed where it belongs
and people feel it. then there will be bu
} com paratively few cases of this muc
| dreaded disease.