Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1889-01-11
SDiDhtherla and TOnsilitis.

Y Dlphtherla ] disease OF She threat
III whichsthe glands are intlamod. and
1 q false membrane il formed
The exciting cause is specific con-
Itaeion virus ii ths blood i that b. ex-
udation produces the membrane.
It is 1 disease that occurs epidemical.
Nv. endemically and solitary, and ct,ar-s.
acterized by more OF less Inflammation
of the mucous n mbrans of the phar-
ynx, hrynx or air pas ages, and by the.
formation on the surface Of those
! parts especially on the mucous mem
branes OF the fauces and windpipe, Of n
layer oflymph or false membrane.
The symptoms vary with the site Of
the disease. i IS 1. k zs VI 5ss
The whitish folicnlar secretions which
often veil the tonsils, in tonsilitis, has
| caused that affection to be mistaken for
Diphtheria. The nature Of the diseases
being unlike, treatment for the ono
when it should haye b cen the other
aften proves fatal. MI" I. tx.
As regards treatment OF tonsilitis It is
necessary to notice two divisions: First
superficial or folliculars tonsilitis,s aud
:secono, deep or perenchenatous tonsil-
tits. i
In many cases tonsilitis bears a re-
semblAnce to the false membrane Of
diphtheria, and has led to an,error III
diagnosis. The mucous secretions,
however. which cover the toDsils in
tonsiIi,ies. possesses neither text
ure~ nor adherence, - and can easily
be wiped off the surface of tho glands.
Ordinary inflammation of the mucous
; membrane. is attended with engorge-
ment of the tissues, and the formation
OF pus on the surface and is an accom-
panying feature of tonsilitis.
Under the influence however, of =
certain poisonous contagion, the in
flamnation. instead Of being attended
with the formation of spus, leads to the
exudation of layers Of lymph. which be-
come sdhsrent t. ti,e' free surface Of the
mucous membrane; This Is DIpHrHER1A;
and whether the lymph is deposited on
the mucous membrane of the pharynx,
larynx. or traelea or bronchial tubes,
! tile dis,ase is still DIParuER1A.
49, -
Having at this time an epidemic in
our village, which has caused alarm,
land, too, not without cause for it is
wise to watch aud guard, al epidemics,
as IL duty to ourselves and neighbors,
the law of our State makes it necess-
airy through our boards of health to
quarantine for Infectious diseases. but
the law does not require quarantine for
any other epidemic except infectious
or contagious disease; 'Qninsy, or any
any other morbid affection of the throat,
~ notsubject to the rules Of quarantine
hence the wisdom of thorough dag
nosis-before quarantine. The epidem-
ic that has visited our village, has
caused thorough investigation, and,
while | listened to the notices that came
to he from one Of our local physicians,
ana quarantinod several Of the houses
in the vil]age-I did not then ard do
not now believe that we had any diph-
theris in our village; but the people
of the village wore very much
alarmed, SO to give the benefit of doubt
on the side Of safety, ] Quarantined.
! l will not reflect upon the ability of
counsel opposed to me; or comment
further than to say, that a general state
of commissioners of each and every pa
tent that has been reported to me for
quarantine, is reported at this time.
| True it is that five persons have died
in this village since the first quarantine
was made, which was on the 18th day
of December last. All quarantine has
been lifted except Joseph Dietrich,
J which will remain uutil further orders
It is out of respect to the profession that
| allow the quarantine notice to remain
I for the present.
. The State Board through their exec.
/ utive officer has visited said Dietrich's
house and also an eminent physician
from St. Cloud. learn from iearsay
that the executive officer of the State
board said the case at J. Districh's was
diphtherla; also that the eminent NJ.
e. of St. Cloud said that it was a bad
case of diphtheria. .-.
Now-be it as it may-one thing
is certain, ii either of the learn
led NJ. g, mentioned said it was diph.
liberia, shall beg leave to differ with
|him. l have watched the epidemic
Ibere in Little Falls closely from it's
first appearance until the present-and
have no hesitation in asserting that
I do not believe case of diphtheria is in
town or that there has been case since
fthe 14th Of December, when my first
quarantine was placed at Mr.. Curtiss'
house.
/ All of the surviving patients Of DR..
Buchanan are reported by him to day
to be convalescent.
L A GREAT SCARE CERTAINLY! 80 g =
10. SIMMONS,
4 ~. Health Officer, ,
l. l.. ,s Village of Little Falls.