Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-10-21

! throughout tue SOutn, the loIloWIhS
facts concerning this dreaded disease
will be Of more than ordinary interest
at this time.
All experts agree that yellow fever
is what is known as a self-limiting dis
ease. Science has not yet reached the
stage where it can be cured. Dr. Gus
tavus Devron, who has probably treat
ed more cases Of the fever than any
other physician alive in New Orleans
today, says that all physician can DO
is to watch the symptoms and treat
them as they develop. The less med
icine given A patient the better. The
secret of recovery from the disease lies
in careful nursing
There is hope thai the discovery of
the germs or bacilli of the fever by
Sanarelli, the Italian scientist, will re-
suit in the discovery of serum or
preventative, rs has been the case with
diphtheria. DR.. Archinard, the bac-
teriologist of the New Orleans board of
health, has also discovered the bacilli,
which are similar to the ones discov-
cred by Sanarelli.
DR.. G. Farrar Patton gives briefly 4
general line of treatment for the fever
as follows: As soon as there is suspl-
cion of the disease the patient should
be put to bed and treatment begun.
This consists first in emptying the ali
mentary canal as completely as possi-
bic. Efforts should be made to induce
early and Profuse perspiration, by II
hot drink, such as orange-leaf tea, fol-
lowed by hot mustard foot bath.
The patient should be covered warm.
ly, but with light covering. He should
not be given any food.
The condition of the stomach is irri.
table. In marked cases Of fever this
condition is very pronounced, and food
is death to the patient. 1t is ncces.
sary to wet the lips with cool water or
small pieces of ice at reasonable inter.
walls. The patient must not be allowed
to get up under any circumstances, OF
even assume sitting posture.
After the first paroxysrn, lasting
from two to four days, there comes the
deceptive stage of calm. All the
symptoms subside, and the patient
even feels comforted and wants TO get
up. This is the most critical stage.
and it is then that the services of the
nurse and the frmness Of the physi-
clan are most in demand
1t is rarely necessary to give any
medicine, except in cases where other
complications develop. If the patient
shows signs Of exhaustion, he must be
nourished by means OF liquids or in
jections, and if his stomach is dis
turbed, it should be emptied. In yell
low fever, more than IN any other dis
ease, the absolute withholding Of solid
food is a safe rule 10 follow
In most favorable cases there is no
return of the fever after the frAt stage
of calm. But in unfavorable Cases,
after a secondary rise in temperature,
which lasts from few hours TO a day
or two, the alarming black vomit ap-
pears. All efforts are then directed
toward quieting the stomach and pro-
noting a free action OF the kidneys.
The tissues Of the stomach are worn
out by the vomiting, which is really
nothing more than the throwing off Of
an accumulation Of cosgulated blood
in the stomach. For that reason the
greatest care should be exercised in
nourishing the patient.
If he pulls through the second fever
stage all right, and is not over exhaust
ed by it be becomes ravenously hungry,
and it is then that the nurse must er-
ercise all her frmness in refusing solid
food Any food Of this kind would
result almost in instant death. Milk
mixed with seltzer, brandy and soda
OF champagne is con,idered good nour-
ishment. Champagne is preferred by
physicians Of the present day and is
extensively used for this purpose.
1t is generally believed that full
blooded negroes are practically exempt
from yellow fever, as much as they are
prone to smallpox infection. There is
no rule by which it can be stated who
are especially subject 10 the infection.
In a general way. it might be said that
Eat men and women who are IN the
habit Of uang stimulants to excess are
more liable TO catch the diseass than
their thinner and more sbstemious
neighbors. But in the present prev
alence Of the fever, children seem to
have been the most frequent victims,
and esnecially pirls. There have been