The age-herald., 1897-11-07


 no man in the United States is better known than Dr. s. B. Hartman, of Co., lumbus, O., president of the Surgical Hotel and Hartman's Sanitarium. His many books written for the nonprofes- sional reader have made him well known in every state of the union. In an in- terview with the doctor as to the press ent epidemic of yellow fever, he stated: That whatever may be true about the contagious character of yellow fever, this much is certain, that in some man ner it can be conveyed from person to person; if not through the air like
 measles, at least it can be through cloth-
 ing, etc., like typhoid fever. The dis ease germs of yellow fever (for germs thsy are, without doubt, like all other disease germs. must find their entrance into the body through soms mucous mem- brane. In contagious diseases, the germs are breathed into the nose, throat and lungs, and thus brought in contact
 with the mucous surfaces lining these organs
 It seems a safe conclusion that the contagion of yellow fever is either con-
 veyed by actual contact with something
 which has had contact with the affected
 patient or by atmospheric contagion, or
 by both agencies. Atmospheric con- tagion seems to be restricted to certain
 soils and elevations and receives addi-
 tional restriction, but of uncertain rule in latitude.
 In any case, the fact remains that the
 poison must find entrance into the SyS- tenn through the mucous membrane.
 Keeping the patient strictly isolated
 from other people, especially the cloth1
 ing, utensils and eXcreta of the patient,
 is, of course, the most obvious and prac@
 tical precaution against taking this dis
 ease. That this cannot always be done
 is plain, from the fact that We are so
 frequently visited by epidemtcs of this
 scourge. If, however, the disease Is
 wholly endemic in it's origin like ma
 laria, such precautions will not render
 adequate protection. In such case,
 each person must protect himself against
 an unseen enemy In the midst of all the uncertainty as to how this disease finds its way from one person to another,
 one thing is certain-.t must find it's entrance into the body through the mu- cous membr
 Now it is well known fact that while some fall victims, many escape, al- though suffering the same exposure; and formerly, in the case of negroes, ft was well known that they almost en- tirely escaped the contagion. would like to raise the question, Why is this? Why is it some people escape, while others fall victims?
 My theory of this matter Is that this poison can only find its way into the system through mucous membrane more or less diseased. A healthy mu- cous membrane affords more or less perfect protection. The slightest ca- tarrhal derangement of a mucous mem- brane makes the person an easy victim to yellow fever. Catarrh may be in tho head or stomach the throat or lungs the result would be the same. Sucn ~ person exposed to yellow fever is surg to take it while a person free from caS tarrh Is practically safe.
 The negroes were brought to .,Qhis counh try from Africa, where catarrh ds un- TJ,ail fo1x 10 n Qo singularIy exempt from catarrh. It was not until after genera ions of exposure to our climate that the negro began to acquire catarrhal diseases. With his ac- quisition of catarrhal derang ement came his liability to yellow fever, the same as white men. There are other arguments which might be mentioned to prove tha'd only catarrhal subjects are likely to catch yellow fever; but they would, of course. be of interest chiefly to ..he pro- fessional reader.
 It will possibly be, thought by some, in view of the fact that am the author of so many works on catarrh and the originator of the now famous remedV for catarih-Pe-ru-na-th l would naturally be inclined to exaggerate the importance of catarrh in this matter; that I would ba unconsciously preJu- diced in some degree on this subject. hardly think that this can be true, be- cause of the plain and self-evlden' argu-
  No one will dispute that contagious poisons find their way into the system | through the mucous membrance; that an unhealthy mucuous membrance is very favorable to their entrance; that | the great, if not the sole cause. of un- healthy mucuous membranes Is chronic | catar1'h; and hat Pe-ru-na Is the justly recognized internal remedy for catarrhs Now all these are well known facts. From these facts I conclude that in | the aLsence of a careful protection from 1 the poison of yellow fever, he only fogis | cal or rational protection is Pe-ru-nas l Of course, it would have been far better l had Pe-ru-na been taken before the epi- l demic made its appearance. buk bette@ l laae than never. Not to avail oneaeh of what seems to be so plainly a natural prophylactic remedy for yellow fever Is nearly suicidal in view of these we'll l known facts This may be regarded as q
 radical statement, hslt radical or not l only safety can follow If it happens 70 l be true statement, while no harm could l certainly follow should 1t be a too eup thusiastic opinion 'y.U