The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-23
THOSE TYPHOID CASES.

Sir: Your issue Of the 18th inst con-
tanned an article written by James X.
Bently, NJ. D., in which he disputes the
correctness of my diagnosis of typhoid
fever in the Tanning family. On
Thursday evening, the 18th inst, Doc
tors Bently, Sullivan and myself dis
cussed the symptoms of typhoid fever
and billious-remittent fevers, and diff
ferentiated between the two (2) dis
eases. DR.. Bently gave the history of
patient whose symptoms he said were
those of billious-remittent fever |
then detailed the syptoms of my cases
in the Tanning family said: in my opin-
ion they indicated typhoid fever. Dr.
Bently then turned to me and said:
Doctor, don't dispute your dag
nosis in your cases"
VIII the Doctor now be kind enough
to inform me which of his two stories
Is the true one? The doctor also stated
in the same article that had been dis
charged from case and he was called
in. This case was that of a sick man
whose wife became alarmed called at
my office, and not finding me there, took
| whom she could find, and that was DR..
Bently The next morning, Nov. 5, l
called, and finding DR.. Bently in charge
| of the case, / greeted him kindly, left
him with the patient and walked toward
the door. The wife of the sick man, fol-
to treat my husband" l turned to her
and said, mo, you had better keep the
doctor you have" and left her. / had
not made diagnosis in this case. This
is the way was discharged.
The doctor quotes from DaCosta, as
follows: "A patient whose temperature
rises during the first days illness up to
los or 1O6 degrees Farenheit, certainly
does not suffer from typhus or typhoid
| fever" ! quote from A. A. Stevens, A.
| NJ, M. d., instructor of physical dag
nosis in the University of Pennsyl-
vania, as follows: in some cases of
| typhoid fever especially in the young,
the temperature rises abruptly" Now
the ages Of my patients in the Tanning
family range all the way from to
years, 1 think they can be safely classed
as young people.
! In disputing my diagnosis the doctor
states that The Tanning family pri-
marily did not have typhoid fever, but
from the length of time that has
elapsed since stricken down the disease
may have drifted into typho-malarla or
relapsing fever, which are first cousins
to typhoid fever" Fortunately, after
had sent In my report of typhoid fever
to the board of health | called council
later the Fannings also called in a doc
tor "a regular practitioner)-both able
physicians-and the diagnosis of both
was typhoid fever, pure and simple. II
was neither tinted with the autumnal
hue nor was first, second or third cousin
to typho-malaria.
| Now the relation that typho-malaria
bears to typhoid fever is about the
same as that of O white man blackened
bears to a true negro. You can nc
more get typhoid fever from ma
laria germ than you can get a timothy
stock from a clover seed, because each
germ Is distinct in itself, and gives rise
to fever peculiar to itself.
The absurdity of the whole affair Is
this: Ilr, Bently, accompanied lby
Thomas Shotten, went to the house OF
the Fannings, inspected the cesspool ir
the back yard, which l reported, ther
went into the house, upstairs, looked al
the cots; not even did he feel pulse
take a. temperature. percuss an abdo
men nor ask questions concerning the
patients; left the house, has not beer
there since, and disputes my diagnosis
What wonderful knowledge this mar
has. Doctors st. Clair, Smith ant
Loomis, of New York, A. A. Stevens
and Da Costa. of Philadelphia, have nj
such knowledge, mo, not one"
In conclusion l will add: l have no
come out to fight, nor shall l enter intC
any more controversy. l merely asl
you to publish these few lines In ordel
that l may defend myself. have com,
to Providence to stay, and mean t
treat all corners courteously, be the!
doctors or laity.
Respectfully,
Theo. Sureth, M. D.,
1O7 W. Market street.