The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-10-25
DIPHTHERIA.
The True and the False Types
Of the Dreadful Scourge.
SCHOLARLY ESSAY ON THE
CHILDREN's COMMON ENEMY
BY A LOUISVILLE
PHYSICIAN.
louisville Critic. !

Diphtheria is the dread Of everybody
who has the care of children. 1t has
been regarded as a very potent malady
and the doctors fear it. II recent years
the profession has paid great deal of
attention to this ailment and few diseases
have been the subject Of more constant
study and fewer have finally been more
thoroughly elucidated.
Amongst the numerous publications
that have appeared from time to time on
the subject none has attracted SO much
attention as recent paper in the Medi-
cal Record OF September 80, 1898, from
the pen of DIR. +. w. Koehler, of this
city. The Doctors description OF the
disease and of the various modes of treat
ment evince thorough knowledge of
his subject and the essay is one that
ought to be read and understood IN every
household.
After speaking Of the great Importance
of correct diagnosis in diphtheria DIR.
Koehler says; "Pseudo-diphtheria gets
well almost invariably, no matter how
we treat it, and it is only for the true
form of the disease that an effective
specific treatment is wanted. There are
reasons to believe that such method
has been discovered by Behring. He
claims. most positively, that his immun-
izing serum will not only prevent the
disease but also invariably cure it il used
promptly enough and in sufficient guam
tity. AS the method is being systematic
cally tried in several hospital wards in
Berlin, we shall soon know what value it
possesses. 1t is to be hoped that the
time may soon come when we shall be
able to prevent diphtheria by inoculat-
ing every one at stated intervals with a
little Of Behring's serum or some other
substance. This time may, however, be
longer coming than we wish, hence it
behooves us 10 consider whether we can
not accomplish more in the prevention
of diphtheria with the means at hand
than we DO. | am convinced that we
can, and the object of this paper is to
advise the adoption OF certain simple,
but think effective measures against
this justly dreaded scourge."
The writer then proceeds to argue that
we should adopt as rigid measures
against false as against true diphtheria
He says that the false forms of this dis.
ease may not be dangerous, but they
pave the way for the true.
AS to the preventibility of the scourge
he says;
"Can we give TO the individual greater
resisting power against the disease2 IN
doubtly this can be done, both by gener-
al and local measures; best by continu-
alton OF the two. It is we'll known, OF
course, that we are less prone to infect
ious disease when in robust health than
when weak and sickly. Close inquiry
discloses the fact that many children
with diphtheria have been aiing in some
other way before contracting it, There
are a number OF agencies that quickly
lower the vitality Of the bodily ills and
thus render them more vulnerable TO the
attacks Of virulent germs.
Speaking Of the effect Of cold upon the
victim, DIR. Koehler says
can interesting observation, indicat-
ing how potent factor exposure to cold
is in the production Of disease was re-
ported Qyon Med, October 49, 1s90) by
Lpari. He injected pneumonia sputum
into the bronci Of numerous animals,
but was never able to produce pneumonia
thereby unless he exposed the animal to
cold Immediately before or after the in
lection. ,' .,i., '''''