The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-17

ion as soon as vaccination and revaccina-
ton are made obligatory for everybody.
An instance of a disease that Is on a
steady increase can be found i'm diphtheria.
Even so recently as fifty years ago very
little was heard OF diptheria, but at
present the mortality from this terrible
complaint is growing larger and larger,
and this is why the serum treatment has
been received with such enthusiasm in all
countries.
A disease that is beginning to decrease
rapidly, but that viii probably be a long
time in disappearing is typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, owing TO It's different mode
of propagation, has never made victims
In such holocausts as the pest or small
pox; but still in large cities it has taken
an important rank in the death rate, and
IL Is. a matter of no small satisfaction to
see II gradually diminishing in frequency
as the hygienic condition and water sup
ply of large towns improve. This has
been the case particularly In Berlin, Mu-
mich and Vienna, while more recently the
Introduction Of an adequate supply Of
first-class spring water into Paris, to-
gether with the admirable system of mu-
neipal disinfection practised in that city.
has sent the death and sick rates from
typhoid down In a most surprising man
ner.
Since, however, we shall probably not
be rid of enteric fever for many a year
to come, the treatment of the disease
still remains matter of capital interest.
Every one knows that there is no specific
treatment for the complaint, unfortu-
nately, and each country and each
school favors particular method OF
symptomatic treatment. The advent OF
the entseptic era gave at one time
grounds for hoping that by internal dis
infection method had been found that
would answer all desiderata. Unfor-
tunately, this was not the case, and the
era of the naphthols and other similar
preparations seems to be on the decline.
A method Of treatment that seems to
be making undoubted Roadway In spite
of great opposition is the treatment
by cold water, inwardly and outwardly.
There Is nothing very brilliant about
this treatment, but when the idea on
which It is based is clearly understood,
and when a physician has applied it him
self In a few cases and seen with his
own eyes the results 1t gives, 1t becomes
very attractive.
The basis Of the treatment is that ty-
phoid patient is in a condition Of poison
ing by retention in the system Of pro-
ducts produced by his own cells and by
the cells by which bis body has been in
vaded (microbes), which products ought
to be eliminated by the kidneys, but are
not.
That Is the idea reduced to its simp-
lest expression Now It has found
that by bathing a typhoid patinet at
regular intervals the kidneys can be
made to secrete in a most remarkable
manner. II is as though a sluice-gate
were opened the liquid simply pours out
of them, carrying with It the poisonous
products that had been accommodating AMI
poisoning the unhappy patient. Such an
elimination OF water has to be supplied
in some way. and it Is found that pa
TENTS treated in this way have a most
abnormal thirst and drink constantly
thereby flushing all their cells and ducts
as the water passes on its way to the
kidneys patient of this sort, who
at the outset of the water treatment
may have only passed half or even a
quarter Of a litre of water in twenty
four hours, will rise rapidly 10 two, three
four or FIVE litres. the quantity In health
for an adult being about ono and half
iitres.
The effect Of this general Inward wash
ing of the system on a typhoid patient Is
remarkable and can be foretold almost
mathematically; and nothing has a
greater tendency 10 strengthen the very
slight confidence that the family or reIa-
tives may have in the treatment than TO
see the physicians provisions come TO pass
with military precision. There is no doubt
that one of the chief reasons why the
bath treatment OF typhoid has 50 much