The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-04

ever, than during our previous and worst
visitations. Then the old methods were
pursued and the mortality table showed a
greater percentage. Patients were sweat
ed to death. Now, if l were called in,
am not sure that would order even hot
foot bath. A seidlitz powder, dose of castor
oil or a mill powder of calomel, either
would do for a purgative, and then, the
patient covered with a single blanket, L
would permit the fever to take it's course,
prescribing careful attention and nursing,
ice water in small quantities or Clipped ice
when desired, with other quoting drinks,
always in small portions l do not think l
would give fever-reducing medicines, be-
cause the yellow fever is a fever which has
its duration, and is not affected nor lessen
ed by remedial agents given to lower the
temperature of the patient. Possibly dose
OF phenacetine or antipyrine, to give the
sufferer comfortable night by reducing
the pains in the back AMI head. But 1t is
probable that this one dose would be the
only one, as a frequent use of these med-
cines affect the heart seriously, and this is
to be avoided. What is to be looked after
are complications. Here is where the ply
stefan is able to do the greatest good, and
by prompt treatment accomplish much.
While the treatment of yellow fever is
really very simple and the services of
medical man frequently dispensed with,
the patient progressing without complica-
tons and recovering under careful and ex-
perienced nursing, the services of a physi-
clan should always be secured, and in the
inception of the complaint, that a proper
diagnosis be made and a system of disin-
lection carried on which may save other
illness.
I'm regard to the fever at present af-
fecting the south, must confess that I
do not regard it as being particularly mild.
If ii continues at the rate indicated this
morning, Monday, of u Is per cent, it
will about equal the mortality of the
Jacksonville epidemic, and will exceed
that of the Brunswick outbreak which
reached ratio of per cent. The low
rate of death is accounted for by the fact
that we diagnose early all mild cases, as
we'll as the more serious ones, and the
ratio was made by comparison with the
increased number of cases treated.
I'm the old days 1t was customary to
omit from consideration hundreds of ex-
tremely mild cases which recovered after
a very brief attack, and to ignore the
negro cases, considering only the grave
ones and basing a mortality upon this lat
ter class. This naturally gave an excess
sive death rate and an unjust one. With
the reporting of all cases, mild and severe,
the death rate will show marked vari-
ance, and on the right side, as against the
epidemics of 1878 and prior.
''In further regard to the present out
break 1 do not believe that the course of
the fever will be toward severe cpl
demic. While L. believe there will be a
considerable spread Of the fever there is
no reason to apprehend anything partlc-
ularly serious. 1t behooves the people
here to be cautious and circumspect. To
avoid approaching infection and to report
all suspicious cases without delay. Dis
infection and prompt sanitation will re-
duce the fever's onslaught and curtail its
limits.