St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-09-25
A DOCTOR HOPEFUL.
The Kind Of Fever i'm New
Orleans Not the Sort
to be Dreaded.

DR.. Roger de Montluzlin had
something interesting to say yes
terday about the fever situation.
He has been called to treat a num-
Der of cases of so-called dengue,
yellow fever, etc. He says that,
in view of his experience, there is
no reason for the alarm which
seems to be generally felt, regard
ing the outcome of the present WISH
tation. "While there are unques-
tionably q few cases of yellow fever
in the city," he said yesterday,
sswe are singularly fortunate that
the disease has made its appearance
at this late date, and at q time
when the atmospheric conditions
are all adverse to is propagation.
The present is our equinoxial sea-
son, and the plenteous rains, the
winds blowing freely from vary
ing quarters, the copioas genera
ton Of natural electricity, all
tend to dtspersc whatever germs
may be in the air. For this reason,
as we'll as because Of the earn
est efforts being made, l do not
apprehend an epidemic. On the
other hand, l am convinced by
careful Observation and study that
the majority of the fever cases in
the city now are neither yellow
fever nor dengue, but a compara-
lively little known disease, known
in Burmah and other portions
of India, as the sssun fever the
ssardent fever and the sscommon
continued fever" This disease
has been carefully studied by
Morehead and Parks, and charts
of temperatures have been pre-
served by Wunderlich, SO As to
show that it is not due to any
special form of zymotic disease
previously recognized, for the
pathology Of this fertile condition
is unknown. 1t is especially rec
ognized as a tropical fever. Pies
sing, in Germany, has recently rec
ognized the peculiar features of
this disease, whether infectious
or contagious, and reported the
case Of several patients attacked
by it In the same ward. Atkins
and Clymer call it ssfebricula, -
Eichhorst refers to it as ssephem-
eral infectious fever" Valleix calls
it ssfevre ephemere'' and Willioz
identifies it with the sssynoque
fever" or simple continued fever.
The disease is a simple fever in
which the expression of the febrile
phenomena is of very short dura-
ton, lasting, as a rule, not more
twenty-four, thirty-six, forty-eight
or scventy-two hours, attended
with q frequent, full and often
firm pulse, white or coated tongue,
pains in the loins and limbs, thirst,
constipation, a scanty discharge
and high-colored urine, hot and
dry skin; sometimes an eruption Of
roseola or erythema about the loins
and thighs, coming and disappear
ing with the fever; severe headache,
sometimes accute delirum, and
flushed face, subsistence attended
to profuse Precipitation or herpetic
eruption.
ssThe important point to note is,
that this fever, while resembling.
is not dengue. Eichhorst states
positively that the prognosis is al
ways favorable, and that the treat
ment is symptomatic. found that
when called in to treat cases Of So
called dengue that the disease
should not properly be considered
such. A further investigation con.
WINGED me that it was febricula OF
common continued fever, and am
satisfied that it is this disease
which is responsible for most Of
the sickness now in the city. Al
it is not dangerous, and as lhave
not yet lost single case, l see nc
reason why any alarm should BE-
felt. / sincerely hope that these
observations will be useful to the
profession, and serviceable to thu
nnblic in allavinr their fears.