The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-11-10
Judge r. L. Mann's Son Succumbs
to the Disease-Another
Child Sick.
THE PEOPLE ALARMED
City Physician Says There Is No Occa-
sion for lt--Advice as to .
Sanitary Precauti0m.

Eddie, the 6.year-old son Of MI. and
Mrs, +. l.. Mann, died Wednesday
morning from an attack of diphtheria
aud was buried the same day, the serv-
ices being conducted by Rev. W. d.
CLARK. The boy was taken sick Mon-
day evening with a sore throat, but
nothing unusuM was thought Of 1t until
Tuesday morning., when DR.. Rinehart
was called in, HThe doctor at the time
thought it only a CASE of tonsilitis.
That night the boy became worse and
the physician was again summoned.
After arriving and seeing the boys oon-
dition he sent for DR.. Townsend, and
on consultation the two pronounced it
a genuine case Of diphtheria Of the
worst type. The doctors used anti.toxin.
but 1t was Of no avail, and at 8 O'Clock
Wednesday morning the sufferer died.
The next Oldest boy was taken sick
Wednesday with the same disease, but
OF q much milder type, and the doctors
have great hopes Of his recovery. The
bereaved parents have the sympathy OF
the community In their affliction.
There Is much alarm throughout the
city, but City Physician Townsend says
he thinks there Ia no OCCASION for it,
and believes there will be no spread of
the disease. The city board Of health.
consisting Of the mayor, chief of police
and DR.. Townsend. has ordered the
premises Of all citizens to be thorough.
~ cleaned Of all refuse or decaying
vegetable matter, and the order shonld
be strictly obeyed. There is a feeling,
too, that strict quarantine regulations
are not being observed, and OH this
subject DR.. Townsend was approach
by The Gazette this morning and au.
thorized the publication Of the follow.
ing:
1.-THE oeouranee Of q case Of malig-
nant diphtheria in the Second ward has
caused widespread alarm. Much of it
Ia needless in a CITY like this, where
there are 80 few water closets and bath
arrangements in the houses. 1t has
also disclosed a Misrepresentation of the
character of the propagation and dis.
Of the disease. First, its
course Ia a vegetable germ, which comes
from filthy oesspools, damp cellars, de-
vegetables, etc. TO propagate
1t from patient to patient requires con.
with the breath or exhalations
the patient, transfer of sputa by
kissing, remaining in a close room for
a considerable time with a patient, but
Ia quickly disseminated by travelling
around In the open air. An article
called a%ntitoxin is supposed to be the
antidote or germ killer. Antitoxin
does not immuniza a healthy child, and
Its use for such purposes Ia a dangerous
proposition, since 1t Ia itself an animal
Absolute cleanliness IL the
best safeguard known. In the case at
Judge Mann's, every possible care has
been taken from the time the first case
was pronounced d%iphtheria. to disin.
leet the house, to destroy clothes and
az fast az soiled. Since Tues.
lay at Q o'clock 2. M, when the case
was pronounced diphtheria, no one has
been in the house not positively requir.
ID there. Close quarantine regulation
md the best Of disinfection are used
continuously"
Antit0xin was used IN the first case,
the disease was probably too far nd.
'anoed for II to be effective. It is be-
used OH the child now sick with
good results. The city physicians have
. supply Of 1t on hand. A gentleman
ans handed the following receipt to The
with the request that 1t be pub
|ished, stating that no knows Of many
,ases Of diphtheria in which it has
been used with good effect:
One teacup Of honey, one %teaspoonfnl
Il powdered saltpeter, two t%easpoonsful
salts. Give one teaspoonful every 3
,r 4 hours, when the patient first CON-
plains Of its throat, and rub the exter-
Tor with spirits of camphor.
The Gazette believes that %antitoXin Is
the most eficacious remedy. At Miles
Jity, two years ago. when the disease
was epidemic at the Reform school, 1T
was used with good results, Since
,ntiroxin was introduced as a remedy
Tor diphtheria, three or four years ago,
he per cent Of deaths from the disease
,as been reduced to about 3, it reaching
~ high as 40 or 80 per cent previously,
rho people should not become unneces-
'arily alarmed. The thing to do il to
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