The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-14
DOCTORS AND MEDICINES
Conventions of Both Associations Com
pleie Their Work and Adjourn.
New Officers and Standing Committees
Bacteria Discussed-Paddtck
Pure God Measure.


era Rare Disease Discussed.
The programme of tho first day of the
meeting of the Indiana State Medical So
ciety not having been completed. the pa
pers of DR.. S. f. Mumford. of Princeton. and
DR.. Miles F. Porter, OF Fort Wayne were pre-
scented. The paper of the latter was on Sur
gical Diseases of the Gall Bladder and Gall
Ducts" In the discussion that followed.
DIR. Theo. Potter called attention to the
fact that the milky substance found In the
gall bladders and often called pus by physi-
clans. is not pus at all. bat healthy secre-
tion that belongs there.
The committee on ethics reported in
favor of the reinstatement in society OF
DIR. III. 5. IsaForce, of Lawrence. the
charges of unprofessional conduct. though
proven. not justifying expulsion.
DIR. PoTTER's METEOROLOGICAL. VIEWS.
DR.. Theodore Potter read paper on the
progress that had been made in bacteria
logical investigation. The Doctor said that
enough had been established TO warrant
the conclusion that the phenomena follow
ing infection are chiefly if not wholly due
to the action of new products formed in
the growth and multiplication of the bae-
teria. From time immemorial it has been
known that there was q group of diseases
which were distinctly self-lmited they
did not run an indefinite course; they end
cd Of themselves To this class of maladies
belong measles. scarlatina, diphtheria,
eryslpelss and others. Here was a great
mystery. With the rise of modern bacte-
riology the hope began TO be entertained
that we might now come nearer to n
solution of this problem. Here again the
analogy between the fermentatIous and
the infectious diseases threw light along
the way. indicating the direction for in
vestigation To proceed. IL is known of GER
tain ferme en- atioDs not Only that they arc
accompanied by the formation of new
chemical bodies, but that through the
agency of these substances the fermenta-
tIon IS stopped. In word, the process IL
self-limiting: the ferment Is drowned or be-
numbed In It's own secretiOns OF course,
the question arose whether something of
the same kind might not explain the phe-
nOmeBa OF the self-limlted diseases. Might
it not be that the new compounds resulting
from the growth of the germs in the body
either By altering the soil on which
they grow or actually poisoning them
bring the disease to an end and thus
be explained one of the greatest
direct llfc-saving agencies known to mani
Certainly the analogy from the fermenta-
tions would seem 10 warrant the infer
ence which experiments so far as made.
tend only TO confirm. There must be some
actual interference with the further growth
OF the germs. either in n temporary or per-
mapent modification of the tissues which
renders them unit for the sustenance of
that special germ. OF an agent which d.
rectly antagonizes OF kills IL. This is the
belief which is now generally and with good
cause. entertained. md upon IL are based
the most active and perhaps the most
promising efforts TO attack the cause of IN
fictitious diseases, even after they invade
he IA
maladIes that one attack protects against
others: tho body. If haply IL survives the
first, Is endowed with an immunity from
subsequent infection by the same germ.
Many theories have been suggested to
explain this mystery, but mono of them are
satisfactory. One of these theories is based
upon the germicidal power of the blood
serum. tbs known that certain animals are
naturally insusceptible to certain diseases.
and that the introduction of their blood
serum into susceptible animals may confer
upon them a more or less lasting power of
resisting those germs to which the first an
imal was naturally immune. This Is the
theory upon which was based the goat
blood and dog blood treatment of consump-
tiOn.
sEYMoUR's WONDERFUL SLEEPER
DIR. n. n. Shipman, of Seymour, read
paper on "Preternatural Sleep" the paper
beng report of the case of Jesse STREET..
thirteen year-o old boy whom the Doctor at
tended. 1t was in May. 1891. that the boys
father was called to Illinois The lad cried
TO go with him. and, being denied, went to
sleep. with the request TO be awakened
when his father returned. He did not
wake up for q month. At times. during
this sleep. he was believed to be dead and
was laid out for burial. hut each time made
come motion that Indicated vitality. After
this the boy had long periods of sleep. the
little food he took being inserted between
his teeth with a spoon. On the 18th OF
February last the lad went 10 sleep and
slept eiRhty-eight hours. lie then woke
up. seemed all right Tor day, and again
fell asleep. to sleep twenty -four hours.
Since then he has been q normal boy, ape
parently well and hearty. The Doctor had
no explanation Of the phenomenon TO otter.
DIR. A. w. Bray ron. of Indianapolis. pre-
sented description of a case of Neroderma
pigmeDtosum, otherwise known as kaposi's
disease. an exceeding rare skin disease of
which thus far but sIxty-seven cases have
been known. three o. which were in Eng
land and three IN the United States. One
OF these cases the Doctor has already pre-
scented, but lis last case being an infant
aud the weather Indictment he was unable
10 show. The disease as le progresses be-
comes cancerous IN It's nature aud results
IN death. the average expectancy of life be-
ing sixteen TO twenty years. The baby pa
tent of the Doctor Is eleven months old.
and the disease began In the 5th month of
Its age. There are two children IN the
family with this disease. one being girl
sixteen years old. the other this infant
while the four other children are in per-
feet health. The parents are moral, up
right German people. without blood rela-
tI0Eship and without hereditary faint
The Doctor recently removed cancerous tu-
mors from the EixIeen-year-old girls face.
which exhibited n greater variety OF ma
hgnancy than any tumor known 70
pathology. The Doctors other case was
exhibited last summer ut the Association
OF American Pathologists at Washington
city, and was declared To be the most tpy-
ical case of tho disease yet presented.
NEw OFFICERS.
The officers of the State Medical Society
for the ensuing year were then announced.
They are as follows:
observation-disclosures +. Beasley. I.afayette.
Woe president-C. H. Smith. Lebanon.
Secretary p : Elder, indianapolis.
Assistant SeeretaTy-N. y. shipman, Seymour.
Treasurer. q. stillsOn. indianapolis.
DIR. Stemen. of Fort Wayne moved that
next years IN eetIng of the society be held
In that city. DR.. Flynn. of Marion amend.
ed the motion so that each county medical
society In the State should be heard IN the
matter. The amendment carried, which
will probably dispose of any attempt to
the State.
DIR. ). X. Weist. of Richmond. called the n L
teDtIon of the society TO the movement on
foot 70 erect monument to the memory of
DT. Gross. the father OF American surgery.
Dr. j. 4. Sexton, of Nashville, read an
interesting paper on Tho Third Lobe
which called ont remarks from Ilr Hrav-