The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-03

New Orleans, Oct 2.-The board of
health had another hard days battle with
the yellow fever in the twenty. four hours
ended this evening. There were four
deaths and twenty eight new cases
Among those attacked was Rev Beverly
Warner, rector of Trinity Protestant
Episcopal Church.
All experts agree that yellow fever is
what is known as Il self-li,niting disease.
:'cience has not yet reached the stage
where it can be cured. DR.. Gustavus
Devron. who has probably treated more
cases OF the fever than any other physi.
clan alive in New Orleans to-day, saws
that all Il physician can do IS to watch
the symptoms and treat them as they
develop. The l,ss medicine given pa
tient the better. The secret of recovery
from the disease lies in careful nursing.
There is hope that the discovery of the
germs or baccilli of the fever by Sanarelli,
the Italian scientist, will result in the
discovery of Il serum or preventative, rs
has been the case with dlphthera. Dr.
Archinard, the bacteriologist, has also
discovered the baccilli, which are similar
to the ones discovered by Snnarelii.
DIR. q. Fa-rar Patton gives briefly n
general line of treatment for the fever
ns follows: AS soon as there is suspicion
of the disease the patient should be put
to bed and treatment begun. This con-
sists first in emptying the alimentary
canal rs completely as possible. Efforts
should be made to induce early and pro-
fuse perspiration, by hot drink, such as
orange leaf tea, followed by hot must
ard foot bath.
The patient should be covered warmly,
but with light covering. He should not
be given any food.
The condition of the stomach is irrita-
BILE. In marked cases of fever this con-
diton is very pronounced, and food is
death to the patient. 1t is necessary to
wet the lips with cool water or pieces of
ice at reasonable intervals. The patient
must not be allowed to get up under any
circumstances, or even assume sitting
posture.
After the first paroXysm, lasting from
two TO four days, there comes the decep.
tive stage of calm. AL the symptoms
subside, and the patient even feels COM
forted and wants to get up. This is the
most critical stage and it is then that the
services of the nurse and the firmness
of the physician are most in demand
1t is rarely necessary 80 give any medi
cine, except in cases where other compli
cations develop. If the patient shows
signs of exhaustion, he uust he nour-
ished by means of liquid or injections
ne emptied. In yellow fever, more than
in any other disease, the absolute with
holding of solid TODD is Il safe rule to
follow
In most favorable cases there is no re-
turn OF the fever after the first stage of
calm. But in unfavorable cases, after a
secondary rise in temperature, which
lasts from few hours to n day COR two.
the alarming black vomit appears. All
Efforts are then directed towards nuieting
the stomach and promoting free action
of the kidneys.
The tissues of the stomach are worn
out by the venting, which is really
nothing ore than the throwing OH of an
accumulation of coagulated blood in the
stomach For that reason the greatest
care should be exercised in nourishinp
the patient
IL he pulls through the second fever
stage all right, and is not over. exhausted
by it, he becomes ravenously hungry,
and it is then that the nurse must exer.
else all her firmness in refusing solid
food. Any food of this kind would result
in almost instant death. Milk mixed
with the settler, brandy and soda or
champagne is CONSIDERED good nourish.
ment Champagne is preferred by physi.
clans ..of the present day and is extern
sively used for this purpose.
1T is generally, believed here that full
Dlooded 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 ST ated who are
especially subject to the infection. In
general way, it might be said that fat
men and women who are in the habit of
using stimulants to excess. are more liable
to catch the disease than their thinner
and more abstemious neighbors Bat in
the present prevalence of the fever, child
dren seem to have been the N ost frequent
victims, and especially girls. There have
been comparatively few cases of male
adults taking the disease.
There has been no gradual spreading of
the fever here this time. In former out
breaks it has been known to make it's ap
pearance in one place, and then gradually
spread in all directions, leaving few
homes untouched This was the case in
1858, when the disease was brought here
by sailor, who. stopped in boarding
house in the Third district. Slowly, but
surely, it moved from house to house up.
town, and did not cease it's ravages until
the entire city had been laid at it's feet
This year the fever seems to he spor-
adic, foci of infection being in every sec
ton of the city from Carrollton to the
Third district. Bnt these foci have been
so we'll guartled,that only In one instance,
and that before the disease was recognized
as yellow fever, has it..appeared in nm nd.
n far