The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-11-12
DIPHTHERIA'S CURE.
As Discussed by Drs doodno and Northop
Of Philadelphia Finn, Lukens
and Howell OF This City.

The causes ard cures of diphtherla
proved an Interesting MS we'll as instruc-
tive subject for discussion by the Homeo-
pathic Medical Society of Delaware and
tho Peninsula at the Clayton House yes
terday afternoon. The subject is of par
ticular interest from tho fact that the
dreaded disease has greatly Increased
Wilmington s mortality aud the dif1erehe
phases of I he malignant disease uescrl'sl
and the cures suggested by physicians VINO
have made the disease the subject OF espec-
ial s,uly proved even more interesting to
tho Wilmington municipalities who have
been In daily conflict with the ma)ady.
DR.. Irwin NJ. Finn first took up the sub
jecr, discussing the treatment of the dis
ensc. First of all he held that with perfect
sanitary and hygcnic condition the di ease
could not cvist. He was not believer in
tho theory that all diphthcria cases re-
suit in death. The auti.toxine treatment
and surgery were recommended. he knew
of patients rccuvorlng who had never been
treated. Osher, died after the most careful
treatment, Local application to the al
fccted parts and Internal indications were
his methods of treatment.
These If strictly followed, he found were
always successful. In many cases ptrehts
and nurses had caused death, directions
and instructions not being followed. 1he
doctor was III 50 of the opinion that many
of the fatal cases are d:e to blood poison.
ing brought by the melnbrancous mater
forming gangrenous matter which Is an
sOrbed into the System
DR.. j. Paul Lukens' submitted paper
on the treatment of larynyeul dyphtHerla.
He tuld OF his experiences with the dis
ease. or his thirty.fnur cases in u)ht9u
ho had been successful in nineteen.
The remaining cases were those OF
patients who had moi received treatment
until the danger period had passed. lie
&c ;oribtd the method he Used and closed
by stating that he always found wa or
with iodine an excellent preparation Tor
keeping he room moist and the air sO0tA-
ing to he paticht.
Dr. Harry Howell discussed the treat
ment of e"quelao he finding that electric
ity was invaluable in such cases Heart
trouble was almost invariably he cause II
death. He favored the anti toxlnc treat
IneDG and asked why the tame treatment
could not be used at tie time when the
paliept was paraiyZed.
Dr. Herbert l.. Northop of Philadelphia
answered his question and described every
symptom Of the disease with the clearilo> IS
of the specialist which he Is. lie was Il
strong advocate OF the antitoxIne cure
aud also of the surgical treatment where
and tracheu. The doctor explained his
talk by means of models Of the tracEea
showing That the disease firs6 presents it.
self in the upper portion OF the tInchca.
IntubuJioI, no believed, was even better
than t:acheaiomy. In cases Of very young
children he thought intubation should he
practisDd and in thu case OF older children
trachGatOmy.
The trncheatony treatment he said was
in use hundreds Of years ago, but there
came time when it ceased to be popular.
since 1880, however, it has been practicrd
almost continually and has b"cn successor
in innumcrablo cases. Tho after tr'atmcr
il very essential to the success of the case,
Regf riding the nnti-toXino remedy. DR..
Mort hap advised the physicians to use II
ut the earliest possible opportunity. lie
showed silver and Liuminum tubes, the
uso OF which he recommended in cases
where tracheai omy had btcn pRttorin3i
md was unfavurabc to the use OF rubber
tubes arc still used by many physicians.
Common sense, he said, was lacking III
many CAGES OF this kind and death almost
always followed.
DR.. william CIG o no of Philadelphia,
| another lirn believer III tho nntltoXine
treatment. presented an able paper which
was greeted with applause. He said that
| of the 10 patients who had boon treated
| by him bat three lad died. The last de tth
occu I'd III in lIIeiphln during the pro
seat month. tir mad trentel diphtherta
! for twenty years, during which period he
| never saw remedy which VIA rs uf;ctual
| rs The surum treatment. While he Whs Il
strong believer IN the French cure he did
not advocate the use Of the imported
serum lic urged curuiulness and clcani'
les with the syringe and also he injection
Of the serum in even suspicious cases.
He covered pretty much the sam" ground
rs did Dr. .>Orthup aud cited many Gh> .
| which he had attended aud which became
successful after the tUXiuu serlm HAD been
| !Mlac.eu.