The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-17

that Is true of Letter Hospital. In less
than month over three hundred patients
nave occupied beds there. DR.. Senns cease
less activity has been the reason for the
afterward the filling of the same with pa
tents. Wherever Nicholas Sem goes he
broug IN co5ant wtS b@ on Tbe
tai mas started with his methods of treat
ment, and will probably continue the same
lot some time to come. 1t was pleasure
10 assist him in his work-never excited
never scolding, always speaking in con-
siderate manner so that nurses as well as
assistants learned to love him.
Inc hospital is equipped as the military
hospitals Of the government. The bedsteads
are iron, with woyen-wire mattresses, and
aapove this three-part common mattress.
Mosquito netting covers each bed and chair
beside the bed. Bathtubs are of the port
able variety, being wheeled 70 each bed as
needed. The wards are small, there being
only nve or six patients in ward. The
exception to this is the ward for fever pa
uents, which is partially open to the ex-
ternal air and accommodates sixty. The
nurses are furnished by the Daughters OF
the American Revolution and number thir-
Teen Thorough ventilation and disinfection
Is insisted on. The water supply cannot be
excelled In the world, Crawfish Springs fur
nishing over sixty million gallons of pure
water per day.
The diseases treated have been chiefly ty-
pnold fever, the malarial fevers, pneumonia
ana meningitis. While there are over 15t
cases of typhoid fever there now, yet else
where there would be fewer typhoid cases
Tor this reason: Military law has but two
fevers of. this character-one is typhoid and
the other is malarial fever-so If patient
has few typhoid symptoms he is classed
as typhoid, even If he RECEIVERS within a
week. Many of the cases sent in are suf-
fering from what we call, among ourselves,
camp fever" yet have to be classified as
typhoid. They show very few symptoms
temperature 100 degrees in the morning and
104 in the evening, with no cerebral symp-
toms toms and the patient in excellent condition.
treatment or no treatment. The plasmodium
malaria is not found, and WidaPs reaction
gives negative results usually. Yet all these
cases, according to military nomenclature
must be classified as typhoid. That is the
reason we have so much so-called typhoid
fever. Adj fever cases are treated by the
Brandt method and with excellent results.
In the malarial fevers calomel and fifteen
grains OF Quinine morning and evening
constitute the treatment.
The surprising number of meningitis cases
has been commented on. They were iso-
lated from the other patients. AS many
were brought in almost moribund, the NOR
ty cases have been treated. They come from
the same localities from which we get our
pneumonia patients. DIR. Senn's treatment,
which was new to me, consisted in making
lumbar puncture and aspirating, follow
ing this up by several rubbings of the spinal
column each day with an ointment COM
posed of lactate of silver fifteen grains to
Vaseline one ounce. In severe cases deep
injections of strong carbolized solution
were made on each side of the spinal COL
umn every three inches and repeated at
twelve-hour intervals. Very little opium
was given Marked improvement was no
tced from the use of the lactate of silver.
1t was efficacious in several cases.
The large percentage of empyema as
sequellae to pneumonits was unusual Thir-
ty per cent. of all cases of pneumonia has
resulted in empyema. These cases all come
from the First Division of the First Army
Corps, which is situated on several very
dusty roads. DR.. Senn's method of treat
ment is to make a sweeping circular Incl
sion the makes all his incisions curved
now, If possible, as they are easier sewed
up, he says over the seventh rib on the
right SIDE. eighth on the left, and laying
bare the chest wall, resecting sufficient rib
to allow the Introduction of two fingers.
After Scraping out all fibrouS deposits with
his fingers, he thoroughly evacuates the
collection of puS, and without irrigation
puts in rubber drainage tubes. Every case
operated on has recovered. He operated on
eight in ten days. He uses very few instru-
ments, even in abdominal cases.
Since DR.. Sem has left to join the hospi-
put in charge of the hospital, and Major
Bayne, of Washington, will take DIR. Sem S
place in the operating room AS Dr. Sem
will be put in charge of the hospital service
in Cuba, he will have excellent chances to
put into execution his theories in regard to
military hospitals. We hope they will prove
as feasible as did his plans for the Letter
General Hospital.
f. w. FOXWORTHY,
Captain and Assistant Surgeon One-hun-
dred-and-Sixtieth Indiana Volunteers.