Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-03-05
TO CURE DIpHTHERIA.
CAUSES AND A SIMPLE REMEDY
FOR THE DISEASE.
No Necessity for the Great Number OF
Deaths Caused by the Maiady-
Medical Inspectors Views
on the Subject.

child life should be destroyed by
diphtheria il parents only watched
the health of their little ones and
physicians knew their business, " said
DIR. Liston IL. Montgomery. an in
spector of the Chicago health depart
ment to reporter for the Chicago
Times. Il am not afraid to say, y
continued the doctor that any ply
sican who is familiar with the latest
discoveries in medical science can
cure any case of diphtheria when the
patient is not already 10 dying con.
dition.
This statements directly opposite to
the popular idea OF the character OF
the dread disease. which is generally
supposed to DO necessarily fatal. The
scene. too often witnessed by sympath-
izing neighborhoods. of whole fami-
lies of little ones stricken down ia
death by the malignant pestilence has
emphasized this opinion on the part
of the public
There should be no excuse, said
DIR. Montgomery. for the announce
ment so often seen in the newspapers
that diphtheria is epidemic ia some
town. and that the schools have been
closed in consequence. and that 40
many deaths have resulted DIph.
liberia can be cured by tO-year-old
child II it knew when to apply the
remedy.
.Diphtheria is caused mainly by
poverty and its concomitants, by I'M
ventilated. filthy lodgings, scanty
clothing, want of sufficient nutritious
food. and sometimes heredity and pre-
disposing physical conditions. The
disease prevails most between the
ages OF ? and 10 years although /
have seen it in infants and in persons
OF middle age. a case will usually
run its course in eight 70 ten days, but
death may occur at any time until the
false membrane Ia the throat has been
entirely cast out.
The period OF incubation is gener-
ally few days; possibly the diphtherla
poison may remain dormant in tho
system for several weeks until called
into activity by favoring circumstances.
Its invasion is generally occult and
insidtous-slight fcver drowsiness.
general discomfort, a little languor.
loss of appetite. prostration. diarrhea,
chills, pallor tickling cough husky
voice, or hOarseness often usher in
diphtheria- These symptoms assist in
forming a diagnosis when carefully
studied in conjunction with one an
other and with surrounding circum-
stances. The disease may suddenly
develop, without the slightest warn
ing, By on attack Of difficult breath
ing. And on looking into the throat
we may find u false membrane cover
ing the tonsils and pharyux and OK
tending into tho air passages so as
dangerously to obstruct the passage
Of air into the lungs and excite spasms
Of difficult respiration. There Is fire.
quently enlargement OF the glands OF
the neck and the throat is consider
ably swelled.
When parents notice any Of these
symptoms the proper thing I, do IL 10
summon a physician at once. Neglect
or delay is almost always fatal No
chances should be taken. What seems
to be only q sore throat may be diph-
iberia in incubation. OF course
there are several remedies used by
physicians, and most Of these would
be dangerous in tho extreme II handled
by q layman. There is chlorate OF
potash, tincture Of iron. bichloride
o. mercury, and other medicines which
no one but physician should deal
with. But there Is remedy which is
well nigh a specific for diphtheria at
almost any stage OF the disease and
which. rs ! said can be administered
with perfect safety by a I0-ycar-old
child.
The great remedy is sulphur II
any parent should find his child mani
testing the symptoms OF diphtheria,
let him get small quantity OF pow
dered sulphur. known generally as
-four Of sulphur a little Of this can
be placed in n quill and blown by the
father or mother down into the childs
throat. This should be repeated. If
necessary The sulphur kills the pois-
on germs OF the disease and causes the
false membrane TO fall of. The sui
phur is perfectly harmless. and II the
child should not have diphtheria IL
will not hNrt it.
Another way 10 administer the sui
phur remedy Is to place a small guam
tity OF it in a saucer and set fire 10 il.
1t will not explode. Over tho burn
ing sulphur place common glass
lamp-chimney. Cover this for u mo-
ment until the chimney is filed with
the sulphurous acid gas generated by
the decomposingsulphur. then hold the
childs open mouth and nose over the
lamp-chimncy that it may iuhale tho
sulphurous gas. This is an almost in
falible cure for diphtheria. or course.
the child must not be held too long
over the gas or iC would suffocate.
Let it inhale the gas moment and
then breathe tho fresh air Keep
powdered sulphur in the house, watch
the children's condition Of health, and
you can defy diphtheria.