The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-20

| Injected by being In the room occupied Dl
| the patient, or to garments or objects IL
fected by being worn or handled by hin
while sick, has in numberless instances
communicated the disease. The diphtheris
virus adheres so tenaciously to infected
persons or objects that they often commu
nicate diphtheria at a distance from the
source of the infection, and when there i:
no suspicion of danger Thus child with
fatal diphtheria, seen by me in consulta
tion, apparently contracted the disease by
embracing a playmate, who was in the
street for the first time after an attack o.
the malady.
A French medical journal has called at
tention to the fact that resident physician;
aud nurses in diphtheria wards, whose
persons and clothing become fully infected
by the diphtheritic germs, are very liable to
communicate the disease, unless they con
stantly employ precautionary measures
Thus the shawl of a nurse sent to the house
of friend introduced diphtheria into the
family.
Many children have diphtheria so mild
ly that they do not complain of being sick,
have some appetite and are not confined to
their homes. Hence, diphtheria is often
OOAIA dSOSQ lAOln luCSS lHl40 CdSCS III PoDllu
conveyances and in places of public resort
DANGER IN SCHOOLS.
In the outdoor department at Bellevue
have often seen children with diphtheria
sitting among other children waiting their
turn for treatment. These children with
mild diphtheria, taking their meals regu-
larly, though with poor appetite, and hav-
ing so little fever that it is not noticed, are
often sent by their unsuspecting parents to
the public and private schools, and there
communicate diphtheria, frequently of a
malignant and fatal form, to their class.
mates. l have been able to trace attacks
of diphtheria not only to the public and
private week day schools, but also to the
Sunday schools, and especially to the mis-
sion schools designed for tenement house
children.
1t is now known that several animals,
even those that are pets in the nursery, are
liable to be attacked by diphtheria. In
deed, this has been proved, as we have
seen, in the laboratories, for bacteriolo-
gists investigating the nature of diphtheria
have in numberless instances communi-
Gated the genuine disease to animals by in.
Oculating them with cultures of the Klebs.
Loetfler bacillus.
1t is very important that parents should
know that milk, the common food of the
nursery, is a culture medium of the diph-
theritic germ. The specific bacillus fall
ing into the milkin handling at the farm.
house or elsewhere grows and multiplies
in it. Mr.. Cole, a veterinary surgeon OF
Australia, published in the Australian
Veterinary journal, February, 1882, the
history of an epidemic of diphtheria that
was traced to the use of milk from dis,
eased cow
DANGER IN MILK AND CATS.
The London Medical Times and Gazette
for January, 1879, states that Mr.. w. H.
Power, health inspector, investigated an
outbreak of diphtheria and obtained suffi-
cient evidence, in his opinion, that it was
caused by the use of milk that contained
the diphtheritic germs. The cows that
furnished the milk had what the veterina
ry surgeons designate garget or infectious
mammitis.
1t is evident from the above observations
and facts that the utmost pains should be
taken to obtain milk designed for the
nursery from healthy source, and to pre-
vent its subsequent Infection We may
also anticipate our remarks on the preven-
tlon OF diphtheria by stating that milk de.
signed for the nursery should always be
subjected 10 the prolonged action of heat
near the boiling point, which destroys all
pathogenic germs. | invariably direct
that 1t be steamed in or over boiling water
two hours as soon as possible after its re.
ception.
Klein has made experiments showing the
identity of feline and human diphtheria,
though dlphthsria in the cat presents some
anatomical characters different from those
In man, and the following observations ap-
pear to show that it is sometimes commu.
nicated by this pet of the nursery to the
children that fondle it:
The Medical Press and Circular. ,Tune 1
1890, states that DR.. Lawrence reports two
cases under his care in which diphtheria
seems to have been communicated bv cats.
In the first case, that of a little girl, a care.
full inquiry showed that she had not been
exposed to any patient with diphtheria.
although this disease was prevailing with.
In mile of the patients residence. bu,
that she had nursed sick cat some DAYS
previously. The cat died soon after. and
second cat became sick and was killed.
DANGER IN FARM ANIMALS
Further INQUIRY disclosed the fact that
neighborng farmer had lost seventeen cats
snd another farmer fifteen cats from a
throat distemper One OF the farmers
stated that he had examined the throats OF
some OF the cats and found them covered
with white membrane.
Observations show that the feathered
tribe are especially liable to diphtheria.
On the island oI Skiathos, off the north
eastern coast OF Greece, no diphtheria had
occurred during at least thirty years pre-
viously to 1854, according to DR.. Bid, the
medical practitioner Of TIE island.
In 1854 dozen turkeys were introduced
from Salonica- Two of them were sick al
the time and died soon afterward. The
Others became affected soon afterward, and
OF the whole number seven died. three re-
covered and two were sick al the time OF
the inquiry. These two had difficult
breathing, swelling of the glands OF the
neck and a pseudo o-membrane extending 10
me larlyX As further evidence that the |
disease WAS diphtheriA. one of the turkeys |
TIA; survived mad paralysis OF the feet |
Ihe turkeys were in 3 garden upon the /
nortn sloe OF the town, and the prevailing
winds upon the l4.and are from the north |
nen this sickness was occurring among /
the turkeys az epidemic of diphtheriz be /
gan IN the houses ia proximity 70 the gar
aen ana spread through the town Il /
lasted i've RsntEs. ana Of I25 individuals /
ATTACKED br oiahthsV.a il population OF 1
|, ,Vs0 thirty-eiN died. Frsa this time diph /
toefla has seeE esta 6lished on the island /
and frequent e0iseuics CT il have occurred /