Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-18
SUBDUING DIPHTHERIA,
A Local Physicians Cure for the
Dread Disease.
A Mode or Treatment which Has
Been Generally Successful and
which VIII be Read with Much In.
terest.

n physician who can successfully treat
and conquer that dread disease, diphtbe-
ria, which is a constant source Of ,error
70 people having children, ought to be
put down as one of the human benefac-
tors OF the age. An ARGUS reporter was
in DR.. Cowden's office this morning and
among other matters talked of, the sub,
Ject OF diphtheria came up; aud at the
same time the various methods for it's
treatment Yes" said the doctor, il is
bad disease. but can manage il; at
least have been quite successful recent
ly IN treating it."
suppose doctors don't, as n rule.
give their experience away. but il there
is any new remedy for diphtheria. il
would be great benefit to the medical
profession as we'll as to the public to
know it," said the reporter in az iueuisi.
tive manner.
81 have no objection whatever OF let,
ting the world know of any remedy that
| may know or possess that have founo
successful. and think l can state. &C
that 1t may be readily understood, nv
method of dealing with diphtheria. Nv
practice is to attack the membrane and
remove IL at once. believe that il tn,
membrane is allowed to remain for som,
time. as is the case under ordinary meth.
DDS of treatment, a tomain forms which
poisOns the system, and soon puts the
patient beyond the reach of all remedies.
The medical journals OF the past three or
four years have contained abundant test
mony as to the beneficial results of both
the internal and local use of bichloride
OF mercury in dipbtheria. Now for ny
method Of treatment; / use what is called
an acid solution OF the bichloride Of
mercury; take curved forceps. wrap a
wad Of absorbent cotton about them half
an inch In thickness, and any desirable
length; dip this in the solution and so
to work at tue membrane until it is en-
tirely removed. In about six hours the
membrane reforms snd the treatment
is repeated. 10 some inveterste
deep rooted cases, obstinate as
Culver, of the Cronin jury, l have
used rs many as twenty swsbs before got
ting the membrane sll away satisfactorily.
Should there be bleeding surface left
after the removal of the membrane, as is
often the case, then apply the sUsb
genily 10 that. There must be no CON
promise; ne half way measures To be
successful the membrane must be rsii-
cslly and thoroughly removed. In some
cases when the membrane becomes dis
solved and breaks up into small pa-ti.
Giles, in order to clear everything away
take an ordinary extension syringe. lay
the patient on his side. introduce the
nozzle into the mouth. aud wash every>
| thing ont with warm solution of
borsx and bicarbonate of soda"
In the nasal form OF the dises &c
clean the nose by injecting the bichIor.
ide solution warm through the n,se.
keeping the respiratory track clear. This
must be done every two OF three hours.
until the disease is subdued In the
lsryngesl form OF the disease push the
swsb into the larynx.
The solution is one part of bichloride
Of mercury, five parts tartaric acid and
one thousand parts water. / also give
this medicine Internslly-to a child of
| two years one-thlrty-second OF q grain
every hour; to one Of ten years one
twenty-fourth OF grain hourly-apl al
WAYS with only favorable results. Much
larger doses may be given, and sm siler
| dose il the case is not an urgent one. The
child is also allowed to swallow small
pieces Of ice I'D libitum. l use too,
tincture of iron when the child begins TO
grow pale and ansemic, which it soon
does in all cases of severe diphtheris. Al
coholic stimulants are given, a. are
milk and concentrated nourishmeIt to
support the patient"
1T is good plan to keep the room
filed with the vapor of oil of eucalyptus
and turpentine."
This treatment is rather heroic and IN
DR.. Cowden's hands thus far has been
uniformly successful. The plan of treat
ment originated. he says, with DR.. Rem
merit. of FrsnkfSrd on the Maine. who
claims TO have treated sixty>two cases by
it without the loss of patient.