The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-12-09
Diph iberia Its Cause aud Pre-
vcntiOn.

e
vcntiOn.
Dr.. J II. Taylor. Professor of disease
of children, In the IDdisns Medica
College. gave IN interesting talk TO IN
public school teachers Ut Indianap0l
Thursday night OF last week, from . re
port Of which In the Sentinel We max
the following extract:
IL do not care" be said, ITO give
scientific lecture this evening but mere
" an informal talk on tho diseases o
children, illustrated by . couple O
charts" TIE doctor INDUCED Ia gen
eraI remarks about chiIdren's diseases
and stated that diphtheris exists here aI
the time. In 1890 the deaths In Indian.
apolis from this cause numbered sew.
enty-scven, and 10 1891 aud 1899 deaths
occurred every month in the year, the
lowest number being iu August of this
year, when only one death occurred.
The doctor spoke very earnestly Of the
responsibility of the teachers, and gave a
brief bistory of the disease, Ito cause and
its spreading. The disease is caused by
. microbe, the diphiheria bacillus, ana
is both infectious and contagious; il can
be breAthed. or II will catch on TO de.
nuded surface, any place where the skin
has been broken, but II comes mostly by
inhalation" Among the many ways Of
spreading the disesse the doctor men.
toned the following: "The microbe
may be present 10 water, carried in
clothing, o. silver coin, or paper money.
1t will adhere to states, furniture, and
almost anything which the patient han
Aloa He E \
stores, where furniture is often sold that
has been used by people who have died
of diphtheria. Many q case OF diphthericl
Group has originated from . secon d band
baby carriage. DR.. Richsrdson, Of Lou
don, mentions Q case where the poison
was latent for over five years. The peo
pie who get ~ in the morning with oil
sore throat are also q fruitful cause OF
the spread Of the disease. They have
strong enough TO resist the
disease themselves, but their saliva 10 in.
fictitious and by using the cuspidor may
spread the disease wherever they CO."
The doctor stated that It was very i'm
portant that correct diagnosis should
be made OF diph,heris 10 its first stages,
md cited many instance where q failure
10 do 80 bad resulted disastrously. .Thel
period Of incubation for the bacilIi," he
said. "is from Two TO eight days." He
explained 81 some length the difference
between the exudatioDs OF tonsilitis and
other throat troubles and diphtheric ex-
uda'i0ns. lie said there were two ways Il
10 prevent an epidemic, one, 10 isolate
The patient, the other disin nfection.
In speaking Of the sick room he said :
Remove every article Of furniture from
The room except that which is absolute
" necessary for the comfort Of the pa
lent The hangings should bs taken
down. the carpet pulled up, oil excre-
ions should be burnt. fuids should be
mixed with ssw-dust and burned and
he clothes Of the patient should be thor
,ughly disinfected." "As % preven-
ion." the doctor remarked, "the teach.
srs should examine the mouths OF chill.
tren. The cloak rooms of the schoolsl
should be done away with, and plenty
,f sulphur should be used o. diain feet.
mt" lie closed by telling the teachers
hat children would believe anyihingl'
hey told them. and IL they would they
could BY their influence entirely prevent
he apread OF disease After the lecture
he ladies crowded around DR.. Hutch
ngs, who exhibited Q collection of diph.
hetic bacilIi to them. among which
we're some taken from DR.. Wilson, At
present sick at the city hospital with the
lisease.
DR.. Taylor, who expressed himself
much pleased with the large attendance,
ave TO Sentinel reporter the following
prescription, which he hes found very
'sefni In The treatment OF diphiheria:
"Carbolic acid, one ounce.
Oil OF eucalyptus, one ounce.
Turpentine, ten ounces.
Put two tsblespoonsfuI into . quart Of
vster, and let II simmer on the stove."
The steam will then I'll the room 10
which The patient 10. He. breathing the
team, will find ihe poison breaking
way hom the membrane. and the
at once becomes easier. Il