The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-28
HOW DISEASE SPREADS.
DIPHTHERlA c COMMUNICATED IN MANY
UNsUSPEcTED WAYS.
The Easy Propagation of the Terrible
DIalady by 1Iomentary Contact with In
feoted Persons or surroundings-Expo
sure from Pet Animals.

luLeSuCu ny Dtlnb IN Uue room occupied Dy
the patient, or to garments or objects in
fected by being worn or handled by him
while sick, has in numberless instances
communicated the disease. The diphtheria
virus adheres so tenaciously to infected
persons or objects that they often commu-
nicate diphtheria at distance from the
source of the infection, and when there is
no suspicion of danger. Thus child with
fatal diphtheria, seen by me in consulta-
tion, apparently contracted the disease by
embracing playmate, who was in the
street for the first time after an attack Of
the malady.
A French medical journal has called at
tention to the fact that resident physicians
and nurses in diphtheria wards, whose
persons and clothing become fully infected
by the diphtheritic germs, are very liable to
communicate the disease, unless they con-
stantly employ precautionary measures.
Thus the shawl Of nurse sent to the house
Of friend introduced diphtheria into the
family.
Many children have diphtheria so mild
ly that they do not complain Of being sick,
have some appetite and are not confined to
their homes. Hence, diphtheria is often
contracted from these mild cases in public
conveyances and in places of public resort.
DANGER IN SCHOOLS.
In the outdoor department at Bellevue |
have often seen children with diphtheria
sitting among other children waiting their
turn for treatment. These children with
mild diphtheria, taking their meals regu-
larly, though with poor appetite and hay
ing so little fever that it is not noticed, are
often sent by their unsuspecting parents to
the public and private schools, and there
communicate diphtheria, frequently of a
malignant and fatal form, to their class
mates. have been able to trace attacks
of diphtheria not only to the public and
private week day schools, but also to the
Sunday schools, and especially to the mis-.
sion schools designed for tenement house
children.
1t is now known that several animals
even those that are pets in the nursery, are
liable to be attacked by diphtheria. In.
deed, this has been proved, as we have
seen, in the laboratories, for bacteriolo
gists investigating the nature of diphtheria
have in numberless instances commune
Gated the genuine disease to animals by in
oculating them with cultures of the Klebs
Loeffler bacillus.
1t is very important that parents should
know that milk, the common food Of the
nursery, is culture medium of the diph
theritic germ. The specific bacillus fall
ing into the milk in handling at the farm
house or elsewhere grows and multiple!
In it. Mr.. Cole, veterinary surgeon O.
| Australia, published in the Australian
Veterinary Journal, February, 1882, tn,
history of an epidemic of diphtheria tha
was traced to the use of milk from dis
eased COW.
DANGER IN MILK AND CATS.
The London Medical Times and Gazett,
| for January, 1870, states that Mr.. w. H
Power, health inspector, investigated al
outbreak of diphtheria and obtained suffi
cient evidence, in his opinion, that itwal
| caused by the use Of milk that contained
the diphtheritic germs. The cows tha
furnished the milk had what the veterina
ry surgeons designate garget or infection!
mammitis.
1t is evident from the above observation.
and facts that the utmost pains should b,
taken to obtain milk designed for tn,
nursery from healthy source, and to pre-
vent its subsequent infection. We MAJ
also anticipate our remarks on the preven
tion of diphtheria by stating that milk de
signed for the nursery should always b.
subjected to the prolonged action of hea
near the boiling point, which destroys al
pathogenic germs. l invariably direc
that it be steamed in or over boiling waite
two hours as soon as possible after its re
ception.
Klein has made experiments showing tn
identity Of feline and human diphtheria
though diphtheria in the cat presents som
anatomical characters different from thos
in man, and the following observations ap
| pear to show that it is sometimes commu
nicated by this pet of the nursery to tn
children that fondle,it:
| The Medical Press and Circular, June 4
1890, states that DR.. Lawrence reports tw
cases under his care in which diphtheri
seems to have been communicated by cats
In the first case, that of little girl, care
full inquiry showed that she had not bee
exposed to any patient with diphtheria
although this disease was prevailing with
in mile of the patients residence, bu
that she had nursed sick cat some day
previously. The cat died soon after, and
second cat became sick and was killed.
| DANGER IN FARM ANIMALS.
Further inquiry disclosed the fact that
neighboring farmer had lost seventeen cat
and another farmer fifteen cats from
throat distemper One of the farmer
stated that he had examined the throats G
some of the cats and found them covere
with white membrane.
Observations show that the feathers
tribe are especially liable to diphtheria
On the island Of Skiathos, off the north
eastern coast of Greece, no diphtheria ha
occurred du,iilg at least thirty years pre-
viously TO 1854, according to DR.. Bid, til
medical practitioner of the island
In 1884 dozen turkeys were INTRODUCED
from Salonica Two of them were sick q
the time and died soon afterward. Th
others became affected soon afterward, an
of the whole number seven died, three re
covered and two were sick at the time o
the inquiry. These two had Difficult
| DTbtJuluB, SWCllluB VI Ouo BliuuS VI I'LL
neck and a pseudo-membrane extending t
the larnyx.. As further evidence that tn
disease was diphtheria, one of the turkey
that survived had paralysis of the feet
The turkeys were in a garden upon tn
north side Of the town, and the prevailing
winds upon the island are from the north
When this sickness was occurring ainon
the turkeys an epidemic of diphtheria be
gan in the houses in proximity to the gar
den and spread through the town. ]
lasted five months, and of 1876 individual
attacked by diphtheria in q population o
1900 thirty-six died. From this time diph
liberia has been established on the island
and frequent epidemics of it have occurred
DIR. ]. Lewis Smith in Babyhood.
,-.- ----=-=--
will Making and Will Breaking.
| fuThera ia abaolutalv M safety nown