The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1894-05-16
Diphtheria.

Some years ago, the following ap.
peared in one Of our leading American
newspapers.
A young man in the West, whose arm
had been amputated, was attacked with
diphtheria before his limb had healed.
To the surprise Of his physician, the mat
ter incident to diphtheria appeared on
the stump of the arm, instead of Deposit
ing itself as usual in the throat. and the
case proved to be a very mild one. The
doctor profted by this strong intima-
ton from nature, to whom many Of his
professions pay very little heed, and
when next called to visit diphtheritic
patient, blistered his chest. There most
Of the deposits showed themselves, aud
the patient speedily recovered
AT the tfrIs the above appeared-1SS1
our literature on diphtheria was not
only brief, but highly contradictory. 1
had come to the conclusion that the DEF
ease was q specific poison involving the
entire system, and not local disorder;
that the characteristic eIudstions ap-
pearsd In the throat, not because 1t was
any part of its morbid law to do so, but
because the thinness of the lining OF the
throat afforded the most favorable place
for external manifestation; and not only
the most favorable, but the most dam
gerous, especially with young children.
I had seen unmistakable diphtheritie
deposits In fresh wounds on various
parts OF the body, and in the female
genital tract, and had ask myself the
question: Is 1t possible to bring this
poison to the surface, on some part Of
the body, where 1t can be more direct
ly and successfully combated than In
the throati Hound by cautious expe-
rimentipg that could not "drive it out"
by internal medication. Then I decided
to try blisters on the upper part Of the
chest, though up to that time I had
never seen such treatment advised.
Twas soon called to a neighborhood
where diphtheria In malignant form
was raging; there had been several
deaths, and some twenty children were
then suffering from the dread disorder.
The physician who had charge Of the
fatal cases had given up in despair and
vacated the field.
In the first house to which I was called
there were four cases, the youngest,
boy Of three years, seeming beyond all
aid; swallow he could not, and his strug-
giles for breath were frightiul. Using
either, iodine and croton oil, prepared
q blistering fluid, and with small brush
applied freely to the upper portion Of
the chlld's chest, and lower portion Of
the throat. This was practically all
did for that case at that hour, all could
do In fact; for every attempt to swab out
the throat or administer internal reme-
dies, met with such violent opposition
that instant suffocation was threatened
After attending to the other cases. left
I Sssis: oS5s Istdislns. }5and shas
the blister had done its work In fine
shape; the entire area painted was well
raised. Upon opening the blister, a
sticky yellowish- colored putrid fluid es-
capped. In two hours the blistered sur
face was thickly covered with genuine
deposits, the child could
breathe with comparatively little diff
Guilty and no longer objected to remedies
per mouth and in fact made a speedy
During the two weeks Immediately
following the seeing Of this case, treated
twenty six cases Of dipbtheria and lost
nome. 10 every serious case blistered
md have continued the practice ever
'ince. Iam(uot one Of those pure bred
aeks, who claim to be able to cure every
,ase Of fdiphtheris-the man hasn't been
born that can do it, and no one but a
Iuaek and a fool at that would claim it,
,ut do claim to have been successful
,eyond the average, In the treatment Of
iiphtheria, and give the blistering
part Of the treatment large credit. Try
t. J. F. LOCKE, N. D.
Plllsbury, Mimi.