, 1897-12-06
D|PHTHER|A.
DR.. II. l.. STEVENS DISCUSSES THE
LATE VISITATION TO THIS
CITY.
Cases Taken Up in Detail-The Won
derful Antitoxin Remedy-His Late
Trip to Denver and the Investiga-
lions There Made-Believes the AL
titude is Not Too High.
o the Editor of The Republican.

To the Editor of The Republican.
Last month you published some &C.
counts of the existence of diphtheria
in our midst and in view of the fact
that some Laramie citizens who have
been looked upon to a certain extent as
authority have claimed that we have
not had any such disease in Laramie.
that diphtheria cannot exist here be-
cause of the high altitude excess OF
ozone in the atmosphere, etc. etc, |
ask you to publish for me a brief letter
which is calculated to throw some light
on the subject.
1t will be remembered hat little
Julia Lenihan and her mother both
came down with a sickness which I
pronounced d%iphtheria. but | did not
have any antitoXin on hand and they
wore too far gone when | received my
supply and the remedy was not used
on them. 1t was used on little Patsy.
l6 years old, and saved his life. Right
here | want to say that | am now salts.
fled that Julia caught the dread disease
in Laramie and that none OF the cases
that subsequently developed in this
city can trace the origin of their attack
to Aurora.
On November 18th two girls of David
Salisbury were found to be suffering
from a disease which | pronounced
diphtheria and DIR. Miller agreed with
me in the diagnosis and treatment.
AntitoXin was used on both the girls.
but one was already thoroughly pois>
oned with the disease, in fact was said
by her mother to be dying before the
remedy was used, and it failed to save
life. The little girl. Dolly, eight years
old who was very sick. began to i'm
prove the very hour the remedy was
used and her recovery was rapid and
continuous. Lille Salisbury died on the
10th and Prof. Buffum's little boy on
the 18th. By this time there was much
excitement and no little talk and differ,
ence of opinion, some person or persons
declaring that diphtheria never did nor
never could exist here. One thing we
knew. that some disease was killing our
people and we wanted to know what
it was and find a remedy that would
cure.
On the night of the lSth-the date OF
the funeral Of little Cecil-Mrs. Buff
UNI was taken i'll with sore throat and
rapidly got worse. ! saw her on the
evening of the 10Th and on the goth !
pronounced it diphtheria. l knew in
that position l would be vehemently
attacked and my diagnosis disputed. so
| old the professor that while | was
opinion unsupported, that l would sent
to Denver some of the membrane from
his wife's throat for analysis. This
membrane went directly into the hands
of the official bacteriologist of the Den
yer city health department and, as most
Of your readers know. his answer was
that the case was Undoubtedly diph.
theria." This answer came Monday
dllCI HULL, 4NoN. -, Dul MIS-. buluIIl
had received the antitoxin on the Goth,
and her recovery was rapid and COM.
plete.
In a few days Myrtle Clark came
down with the disease and was very
sick. She too, received the a%ntitoxin
and some of the membrane from her
throat was sent to the Denver health
department. The answer soon came
that this case. too. was positively diph,
iberia. On about this same date
Nov. 23d or ~24th-Prof. Buffum's little
girl, two years old. came down with
the same disease. She received the
antitoxin and her recovery was like
wise rapid and complete. | consider
that by these means l have demonstrate.
ed to a majority Of the people of Lara
mic that diphtheria DYD exist here and
that antitoxin would cure. Certainly
no person, scientific or otherwise. who
could have seen the cases and the eff
fects OF the remedy could have any
doubts, but l have yet to come to the
matter which caused me to write this
letter.
Last Tuesday, Nov. Both. | was called
to Denver to see my daughter. who was
reported sick. but by Wednesday morn.
ing she had so far recovered that she re-
quired but little care, and l spent the |
entire day. of December LIST in the var
ious parts Of the city interviewing those
whom I believed would be best able to
give me information on the subject of
diphtheria. l first went to the health
department Of the city. This depart
ment is maintained at great expense
to Denver and the people there would
no sooner think Of dispensing with this
than they would with the police de-,
partment or the fire department. I soon
made the acquaintance of the various
officials there but found DR.. H. G.
Crouch. the official bacteriologist, very
interesting and withal a very obliging
and painstaking gentleman. I spent
hours with him receiving explana-
ton relative to the various kinds Of
apparatus and instruments of precision.
| piled many questions which the bac.
teriologist cheerfully and accurately
aDSuorod Piuh< have lot - - h