The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-12-20
ACUTE RHEUMATISM.
The Miasmatic Theory Recently Advanc

The Miasmatic Theory Recently Advanced
by German Authorities.
To most practitioners acute rheumatism
must appear essentially a personal OF
constitutional ailment occurring most
readily under certain unfavorable con-
ditions, such as fatigue, exposure, de-
preston, with wet or cold weather.
There is disposition, however, among
some physicians to regard it as depend
emit essentially on miasmatic conditions.
One of the latest expeditions of this
view Is to be found in paper read be-
fore the German Medical Society of New
York by DR.. Leonard Weber. DR..
Weber considers it nearly proved by the
labors of Immermann, Edlefsen, Fried
lander and their pupils, that what he
calls infammatory rheumatism, and
what is generally termed acute
rheumatism, is not produced bv
taking cold, .. e., the refrigeration of
the heated surface of the body, but that
1t belongs to the class Of miasmatic in
fictitious diseases assuming an epidemic
like character at certain times, in SO far
as we are apt to see larger number of
cases when there is decreasing rain and
moisture, while with an increase of the
same the number Of cases is diminished.
Among other points, he considers as
nearly proved that rheumatism is also
house disease, the subsoil of houses in
certain locations being .infiltrated with
the virus, which, after prolonged dry
ness. may be set free by the air currents
carried into the apartments.
In masked forms of rheumatism there
may be an absence Of one or other of the
main symptoms and of the polyarthritis.
Neuralgia of the trigeminal, sciatic,
spinal accessory or other nerves, with
slight febrile movement, NAV be of a
rheumatic nature, and yield to alkaline
and salicylate treatment after other
remedies have failed. DR.. Webster saws
that his records show that the greater
number of his cases of polvarthritis
rheumatica occurred in February and
March, and again in the hot and drv
summer months. We do not commit
ourselves to the theory of the miasmatic
or external origin OF acute rheumatism.
BY the way, DR.. Weber does scant ius-
uce to our own countryman, DR.. Mac
lagan, who must be chiefly credited
with this theory, which, indeed, led him
TO the use Of salicin. We incline strong
~ to the personal and constitutional
theory OF its origin. But it is we'll tn
keep all well-argued theories in view.
1t is satisfactory to note that DIR. Weber
regards the salicylate of soda, which he
gives generally with the bicarbonate. as
standing in the foremost rank of vain.
able drugs with which modern chemis-
try has presented us.-Lancet.
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Hay-
ana appealed to the Government of the
island to close the cemetery which the
baptists had opened in thatcity, but the
Government in Spain has decided that
the Baptists were acting according to
the laws, and may have their place Of
burial
General" Booth, in opening q new
salvation hall in Liverpool, recently.
defied any one to point out any autho..
I lied doing Of the Salvation Amy NOT
justified from the Bible. They hed
Zoo societies and &, 900 officers, for Tia
- part self-supported, and thu hndaf
sssss was not less than s. swaQo.