Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-02
BAD FOR THE LUNGS.
That Is What the Doctors Say About
the Present Weather.
MUCH SICKNESS ALI OVER TIE CITY
Typhoid Fever and Diphtheria Prevail in
Various Places.
CHATS WITH NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

CHATS WITH WELL-KN0WNPHYSlClANS.
A CITY without its sick is an anomaly.
The health OF community depends to,a
large extent on the weather, and Pittsburg,
during the past few weeks, has had dose
of the vilest kind, while towns East and
West have comparatively escaped.
Yesterday was BAD day to see physicians,
as, like the BARRIERS. they enjoy half holi-
day once in awhile. and they closed their
Offices early, and only few could be found.
The reports received of the health of the
city at present varied. Some doctors
claimed there was considerable sickness;
others said that despite the weather the
number of sick was not unusual. Disagree
able coughs and colds, sore throat, some
| typhoid fever and pneumonia prevail in al
most every locality in the two cities.
THEY BLAME IT ON THE WEATHER.
All the physicians agree that the weather
is responsible. Strange to Jay. there are
no contagious diseases of any consequence.
and the sore throat seldom develops into
diphtheria. Any number of people are out OF
fix" and men and women go around with
aching bones and sharp pains, but they do not
complain much and are not confined to bed.
Sufferers from rheumatism and gout have
th cir maladies aggravated by the snow and
rain. But doctors will differ and the people
can take their choice.
In the East End considerable sickness is re-
ported. Indeed. physicians say that in some
places it is awful. Many of the streets are
torn up and are in frightful condi.
tion. The recent heavy SHOWS and
the streets or the health of this portion of the
city. Sore throats which the doctors playfully
call follicular pharyngits, in medical parlance,
with tendency to typhoid fever preaomifnatSe f tSs
body to a high degree, and it is always liable to
terminate in fevers of some kind, which are
dangerous.
WHAT SOME OF THE DOCTORS SAY.
Dr. Ward reports numerous cases of sore
throat and some typhoid fever in the East End.
Dr. H. b. Orr was caught on the fly at his of
fee door, and talked for few minutes.
"The health of the city at present." he said,
ais in peculiar condition. There seems to be
an epidemic of surgical cases. There are any
number of broken legs, disocated ankles. and
sprains, due, suppose, to the slippery cond1-
tion of the streets and the fall of pedestrians
on them. Then l find find plenty of pneumonia
and typhoid fever These troubles are not con-
fined to any part of the city. for
have patients scattered around in different
sections. If you will examine the death GER
tifcates, these days, you will see that pneu-
monia and typhoid fever arc frequently the
causes.
"a great many people are suffering from
bronchitis and bad colds with strong tendency
to malaria, which leaves them IN bad shape.
Malaria is developing, and it is due, of course,
to the sloppy and disagreeable weather. meet
are NJ not ni in T bed. but they m don't feel well
and are out of fix. Coughs and colds also pre-
vail to q large extent. In fact, think the
weather is having bad effect on the health OF
the city, and people can't be too careful OF
themselves toward of fevers and pneumonia"
MUCH GENERAL SICKNESS.
DR.. W. T. English said that since he was con-
fning himself to the treatment of the heart
and lungs he was not as well posted as he
should be on the health of the city.
He stated that in talking with physi-
clans who have "a general practice
he learned that there was considerable sick
ness, but it was not of a dangerous character.
1t is not confined to the Southsde this time.
but the East End seems to be catching it.
Diphtheria is not commo on. but any number of
people are troubled with sore throat 1t is not
fatal as rnle, but is very disagreeable while it
lasts. as the general effect is TO run up the tenn
perature of the body and make the patient
and pneumonia, but the Doctor said he
had not beard that it prevailed to an alarming
extent. Like other physicians. he holds the
bad weather responsible for much of the sick
ness. He does not believe that many cases of
genuine grip are to be found in the city, but
he says a number of people are affected with
severe colds.
FOUND BUT LITTLE TYPHOID.
Drs. Blystone and Hoffman represent the
Homeopathic school. DR.. Blystone stated that
he did not think an unusual amount
of sickness prevailed at present.
He found plenty of coughs and
colds but he had no typhoid fever or pneu-
monia cases, and DR.. Hoffman had not told
him that he had any such patients. DR.. Bly,
stone thought the health of the city was quite
good. considering the condition of the streets
Dr. D. A. Hengst states that his experience
has been that there is no moro sickness at
present than at the same time last year. The
weather was mainly responsible for a great deal
of trouble among peoples respiratory organs.
but there was nothing In the shape of an
epidemic SO far he knew. In his practice he
knew he had not a case of typhoid fever or
diphtheria but of the lighter forms of pull
monary diseases there were plenty. due solely
to the weather. People get their feet wet and
there you are.
TYPHOID IN THE EAST END.
DR.. E. F. Frasher. of Oakland. has a differ
ent experience. In the course of talk yester-
day he said. among other things: Il have found
recently a number of typhoid cases. and they
have proved more than ordinarily fatal as COM
pared with the last few years. Most of them
are down among the foreigners along Second
avenue, but up on Bouquet street, above Fifth
avenue, where the conditions would not be
considered favorable for such diseases there
| are several cases and they just as bad as
| those in the low lands. hardly know to what
| to attribute them.
1.-The germs of infectious diseases are no
| doubt held by the piles of snow along the
| streets. There is also great deal of malarial
| fever. but of course that is in The lower Sec
| tions where the conditions are more favorable.
| Taking other diseases, do not think there is
| any greater proportion than last year. in fact
| if anything the general health is better"
DR.. A. j. Davis, of East Liberty, does not
take much stock in reports of increased sick
ness He said that he knew of no cases of
| typhoid fever or diphtheria. True, there were
| what are known as typhoid symptoms, but he
knew of no cases of genuine fever. His expe-
rIence did not show any increased amount OF
| sickness except that due to the weather, sore
| thrOats and the like.