Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-23
KENNEBEC DOCTORS.
Annual Convention Of County's Medi-
cal Men Very Interesting.
President Martins Address officers Elected
and Other General Business Matters.

In the city council rooms, Wednesday,
and was called to order by President DR..
R. j. Martin of this city. After the
records Of the last meeting were read and
duly accepted President Martins address
was listened to with much interest and
and an abstact is as follows:
Typhoid Fever.
Typhoid fever is a disease as old as
the medical profession having ceen dis
cussed, under various names, from the
tlme OF Hippocrates to the present day.
Yet Its frequency. variety, origin and
treatment render 1t a source of fruitful
investigation at the present time.
1t is disease indigenous to all eli
mates, all countries and all seasons, affect
ing alike the rich and the poor, the robust
and the feeble, the young and the old
Statistics teaching however that the ma
Jority of cases occur between the ages of
Is and 80. The percentage being about
equal in both sexes.
1t Is granted not to be contagious dis
ease but its source of origin-whether
ever spontaneous or always from the re-
production of specific germ or poison is
still matter Of dispute. The poison of
typhoid has been proven in we'll authenti-
Gated cases to have existed in the earth
for year and then to have reproduced the
fever in those who have absorbed the poi
son. In fact science can not set the time
that the typhoid germ buried in earth or
water may not retain its activity. Hence
the difficulty to decide whether tho fever
is ever spontaneous Cases arise appar-
emily free from every possible source of
specific poison, and yet who can tell that
the typhoid poison may not have been
buried in the earth for years in that local
ity. The concensus of opinion seems to
incline to specific origin of the disease
and not only to poison but to specific
germ. The sources of contamination
from person are unquestionably the ex-
creta of the body, particularly the stools,
probably also the sputa. The chief sources
of conveyance are water, milk, from filth,
sewers, cesspools and COMMUNICATIONS of
the soil
You have all read lately of severe
epidemic of typhoid fever caused by a
milk man watering his milk from an in
fccted well. A person causing such a
calamity should be amenable to law.
But outside Of watered milk it is now
conceded that cows may have typhoid
fever and their diseased milk may affect
those who drink it. have often noticed
in my brief experience the recurrence of
the disease in the same house, sometimes
several years separating the cases. re-
call one case OF Is years, the second case
occurring when upturning the ground for
for hn
ing the persons, habits and surroundings
have no question that he contracted the
disease from the poison which had been
laying dormant in the earth for those
many years
The vitality and endurance of the ty-
phoid germ being established, the source S
of contamination and conveyance known,
it is our responsibility that one case never
generates another. 1t is to the credit of
the profession that it is spending as much
thought and science in the prevention of
disease as in the cure. 1t has educated the
public to the dangers and sources of con-
| tagion. 1t has been our constant care to
encourage sewerage, ventilation and all
such by giene as shall prevent the recep-
ton and propagation of all infectious and
contagious diseases
No physician neglects in typhoid fever
to have the excreta of the patient properly
and safely disinfected and all soiled linen
so treated that one case never begets an
other, unless from the carelessness of the
nurse The violence of typhoid varies
from the walking case" to the fatal.
know of no disease where a patient ap-
parently so hopelessly sick may recover.
Can anyone but a physician tell the anx-
ieties of a severe CASE how he quails be-
fore the brown furred tongue, the inter
mittent pulse, the irregular breathing, the
clammy sweat, the subsultus tendium,
how he watches for the moistened tongue
the less delirium, the better temperature.
Such cases try the thoughts, science,
sympathy, sleep of us all. In no case.
however mild can a physician be sure OF
| the patients recovery until convalescence
is established. The variety of typhoid
cases, the numerous complications that
may arise, the variations of temperature.
the changeable condition of the heart,
| the bowels, the nervous system. render
the treatment of the disease largely symp-
tomato There are no specifics for the
disease. The diet, stimulants in most
cases and careful nursing are all lmpor-
tant. And the medical profession are all
SO well agreed upon diet and treatment that
nothing specific upon the subject need be
said. The diet of convalescence, however,
has given rise to some discussion. From
experience and reading 1t seems the safer
course to keep the patient on liquid diet
for at last a week after all fever has de-
parted
The one physician who exceeds the
other in the treatment of typhoid, Is hi
who watches carefully the various
changes, knows their meaning and In
stantly responds to them. There is no dis
ease when progressing favorably tha
needs less medicine, and there is no dis
ease which needs more careful watchi ng
acute intuition Of the physician and &C
tive treatment in severe cases or wher
complications arise.
But what has especially called my at
tention to typhoid at his time and caused
me- to bring this subject before you Is tn
neculiar type of the disease during tn
last three months. peculiar at least IN m.
observation. 1t might almost be callet
typhoid grippe. Every one OF the case
that 1 have had during that time com
menced with the characteristic symptom
of the SO called grippe. The chilliness
severe headache, backache, feverishness
more active and sudden than the ordinar
typhoid. No gradual rise OF Temperature
.nk = y,