New-York tribune., 1901-11-19
DOCTORS TALK OF TYPHOID
INTERESTING PAPERS AT THE STATE
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION MEETING.

A discussion Of typhoid fever was the attraction
that drew more than one hundred physicians Of
this city to stated meeting OF the New-York
State Medical Association in the hall OF the
Academy of Medicine in West Forty -third-st-
last evening. Prominent physicians and sur
geons read papers. which served to draw from
others expressions of opinion and statements
to cases that had come under their observation,
Much of the argument was in strictly technical
language which only the medical men could fully
understand.
DR.. Robert Able. attending surgeon at st.
Luke's Hospital, said in a paper on surgical
complications in cases of typhoid fever that
there had been thirty-two recoveries in one hun
dred operations, in cases of perforations of the
intestines. where operations had been performed
within eighteen hours after the intestines were
perforated.
Papers were read by Dr. James Ewing on
BLOOD Examina ton in Typhoid Fever. and Dr.
]. H. Huddieston, on 'Epidemiology of Typhoid
Fever in New-York." DR.. A. A. Smith, visiting
physician at Bellevue Hospital, read paper on
the treatment of typhoid fever that attracted
favorable attention. He began by referring to
attempts to abort the fever and said he did not
believe there was a single successful case OF
typhoid fever abortion. He then described the
bath system saying it was not intehoeo So
much d means of reducing Temperature {
in the patient it was as means VI
soothing the nervous system some Oh tHe
dangers of typhoid fever, he said lay IN coi-
pications affecting the nervous system anu
one means of preventing those comphcalioiis
was the bath. He favored the use of the bed
ba tn. making a trough of pianhets' P'iioNs
and rubber sheet in the patients own bed
and turning on water. The water at hrst shoulo
be at the temperature of 80 degrees, he said
radu q below
not below - degrees. The bath should be con-
tinued only few minutes and repeated from
twice TO three times in the twenty-four hours-
Gteat7caution must be observed IN adltIliis'ei
ing baths TO patients over sixty years oiu-
DR. Smith said he did not agree with physl-
clans who thought the use of coal tar prooucts
should be avoided entirely IN cases Oh tgPnoIu
fever In some cases, ne said, he oeheNeo thdt
such remedies were of service in alleviatlng Sc
we're headache. inducing sleep ana mahnls @ tne
patient more comfortable He ADVISED the use use
of alcoholic stimulants in cases Where patteli.1
had been accustomed TO the use OF such stlIhu-
lants in health. The placing of Ice on tHe seo id
ach of a patient to stop henlorIhdse' "
did more harm than good -, c,;+b
AS TO diet in cases of typhoid fever Or. smith
said plenty of water should be gwen 10 tile pa
rien- and only so much liquid food as was neces-
ssrv FIuid diet should be maintained for ten
days after the temperature became normal. nc
giving of solid food 70 a patient TOO soon. he
said was dangerous. and he told a story ABOUT d
Iisitinr phvsician from another city, who asked
ahollr the diet of typhoid fever patients al belie
vue and surprised wnen ne "as ,,,e, Lo,a ina
the natients were kept fluid diet so long
why" said the visiting doctor we siee
our patients meat and potato diet as soon as
they crave it. BY the way wnat eNpsa.gtios inrs
have you had with operations for per1orauonS
Of the intestines" .,, .,
We have had only one such operation d.
Bellevue in six months - lie
We'll. that is singular. We have nao @ @nai.
a dozen such operations in our hospltal IN 'h''
time ...,5,r,
Dr Francis p ktnnicutt. one OF the attending
musicians at the Presbyterian hospital sdIu
later that he thought there should be as rnucs
fevar natients He mentioned broths OF va,
rious kinds and gruels of oatmeal. barley ana
rice as safe for use r,,a,
n was after 10 o'clock when DR.. ParKei
SINS who presided at the meeting. announced
the close of the discussion