davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27
Yellow Fever Has
Yielded to Sanitation.


80 49, - -.
intervals n makes tnross. into ~. sou.h-
err States causing serious commercial
loss Tn. history AZ The d,sesse ., m. o,h.r
West India Islanda. particularIv Jamaica.
indicates the steps which must be taken for
It's prevention. Formerly yellow fever was
as fatal a scourge in them as It Is to-day
In Cuba. BY an efficient system Of SANTA
ton It has been abolished. The same can
be done land will be done) in Cuba within
a few years. General Wood has already
pointed out the way in the cleansing Of
Santiago.
The Plau+one Of the most amarkabie
facts In connection with modern epidemics
has been the revival OF the bubonic plague,
the most dreaded of all the great infections.
During the present century the disease In
Europe has been confined almost exclusive
ly to Turkey and Southern Europe. Since
1884. when IL appeared at Honx-Kong, IL has
gradually spread, and there have been ont
breaks Of terrible severity In India 1t has
extended to certain OF the Mediterranean
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27

those who make observations upon them.
1t is truly marvellous to know that these
bacteria can accomplish In their short
lives of possibly a few hours or days feats
which would battle the cleverest of chem
lists IL given years of q life line to work
upon. They give to the farmer the good
quality OF his crops. TO III dairymsn
superior butter and cheese; they assist
in largo measure in freeing our rivers
and lakes from harmful poIlutions.
Here II should be strongly emphasized
that those bacteria which cause disease
are only a few species. all others con-
tributing to our welfare in countless ways
Limiting observation now TO the sphere
of medicine. It will be readily perceived
hat the presence of bacterial life in a caus-
alive relative RELATIONSHIP lhrwthimuig9al
tive relation to disease is an object OF para
mount regard. The following paragraphs
will briefly treat of the diseases associated
with m-icro-organisms and the common
modes OF Infection in each. the chain Of
events subsequent to ar infection, and the
possibilities Of protection or cure by means
Of substances elaborated In the body OF an
individual or animal recently recovered
from IN infectious disease.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27

blood cells. the wandering cells and the cells
OF Tho tissues most affected still carry on an
unequal fight From the Emphatic glands
and spleen armies of white cells rush to the
fray and attempt to eat up and destroy the
foe. but possibly IN vain: the disease run
its course. to end either in death or re-
covery.
microbes finally overcomef
This question involves many complex
processes which at present are by nc means
thoroughly understood, but we VIII con-
Germ ourselves with the simple principles.
II has been previously mentioned that
once the bacteria get a good foothold the
body is subjected TO the action of generated
poisons. which are known as toxins. They
give rise to such symptoms as loss Of appe-
lite. headache. fever. pains and aches. and
even a state OF stupor or Inconsistencies
In addition to the active warfare of the
white blood cells. groups Of cells through
out the body. after recovering from the
first rude shock of the toxins. begin to
tolerate their presence. then effect a change
In the chemical constitution OF the toxinz.
and finally elaborate substances which
~antagonize the toxins and destroy their
warrior cells. which at last overcome the
invading microbes. Recovery is brought
about, and a more or less permanent de-
gree OF immunity against the special form
of disease ensues.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27
Most Typical Of Infectious
Diseases Have
Not Yet Yielded Their Secrets

Strange as II may seem. the most typical
of all infectious diseases. smallpox. scarlet
fever, measles and hydrophobis. have as
yet not yielded up their secrets This Is
possibly due to the minute size Of the mi
cro-organisms concerned. which make II be-
yond the power of the best microscope to
demonstrate them. In this connection. IL
has recently been shown by Roux and No
card that In the case Of the disease known
as pleuropneumomnia Of cattle the cAusa-
tive agent Is SO very small as Just to be
barely visible. Again. It is quite possible
that these diseases may be caused by living
things We know nothing about and which
may be quite disslmilar from the bacteria
In the foregoing list of diseases asso-
ciated with specific bacteria attention has
been drawn to the common modes Of fnfec-
ton. or as they are technically called.
portals of entry" and 1t cow remains
to touch upon the main factors. processes
and results following upon the entry into
the body Of such disease-producing M
crobes.
1t Is Q w~ell-known fact that the normal
blood has of itself to q considerable extent
the power Of killing germs. which may
wander into 1t through various channeia
Likewise the tissue cells OF the body In
general show similar action depending
upon the different cell groups. state of
health. general ROBUSTNESS and period Of
life. h ~germ-killing power varies In DIFF
ferent individuals. though each may be
quite healthy. Considered as . whole this
power possessed by the body against germs
IL known as general resistance" And
when by any means this power of rereist-
ance is lost or diminished. we run grave
risks CT mourning disease
Granted a case OF infection. let US now
trace up briefly what occurs Betveen the
period when the bacteria gain a Judgment
and that IN which the disease assumes q
noticeable form the patient simply feels
out Of sorts. 1t is during this stage that
the blood and tissues are deeply engaged
In the attempt to repei the attacks Of the
invading microbes.
With varying speed the germs multiply
throughout the body generally. or may be
at first localized, or even. as In loek-taw,
remain localized throughput the entire dis
ease Multiplying In the tissues they gem
crate In increasing amounts their noxieus
poisons. which soon cause profound changes
throughout the body; the patient becomes
decidedly III. and shows now the signs CT
an unmistakabie infection.
Does the body now give up the fight en-
tirely7 No; on the contrary. the white
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27
~
- -
Medicine.

For countless generations the prophets
and kings of humanity have desired to see
the things which men have seen. and to
hear the things which men have heard in
the course of the wonderful Nineteenth
Century. To the call of the watchers on
the towers Of progress there had been the
one sad answer-the people sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death. Politically,
socially and morally the race had improved,
but for the unit. for the individual, there
was little hope Cold philosophy shed a
giimmer of light on his path, religion in
it's various guises illumined his sad heart,
but neither awaited to lift the curse Of
suffering from the sin-begotten son Of
Adam. In the fuIlness of time. long ex-
pected. long delayed, at last science emp
tied upon him from the horn OF Amalthea
blessings which cannot be enumerated,
blessings which have made the century
forever memorabilia; and which have fol-
lowed each other with a rapidly so be-
wiidering that we know not what next to
expect. To us In the medical profession
who deal with this unit, and who measure
progress by the law OF the greatest happi-
ness to the greatest number. to Us whose
work Is with the sick and suffering. the
great boon Of this wonderful century. with
(EeN IAN nc NS
fact that the leaves of the tree of science
have been for the healing of the nations.
Measure as we may the progress OF the
world-materially in the advantages OF
steam. electricity and other mechanical
appliances; sociolcgically. in the great i'm
proyemeHt in the conditions of life. intel
lectually. in the diffusion of education;
morally. in a possibly higher standard of
ethics. there is no one measure which can
compare with the decrease of physical suf-
ferfng in man. woman and child when
stricken by disease or accident. This Is the
one fact of supreme personal import TO
every one of US. This is the Promethean
gift of the century to man.
The century opened auspiciously. and
those who were awake saw signs of the
dawn. The spirit of Science was breeding
on the waters. In England the influence
of John Hunter stimulated the younger
men to the study of the problems of anat-
cmy and pathology. On the Continent the
great Bo~orhaaye-the Batayian Hippocrafes
had taught correct ways in the study OF
the clinical aspects of disease. and the work
Of Halter had given a great impetus of
physiology. The researches Of Morgagni
had. as Virchow had remarked, introduced
anatomical thinking into medicine. But
theories still controlled practice. Under the
teaching Of Cullen. the old idea that hu-
mors were the seat of disease had given
place TO a neuro-pathology which recog-
nized the paramount influence of the nery-
Gus system of disease. His colleague at
Edinburgh. Brown. brought forward the at
tractfve theory that all diseases could be
divided into two groups. the enc caused by
excess OF excitement-the sthenic. the other
by a dehcieney-the asthenic. each having
Its appropriate treatment. the one by de-
pietion. the other by stimulation. In . GER
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27
Cause of Disease
Found By Psychologists.

In rapid succession the presence Of bao-
terra was clearly demonstrated In ~reiapsing
fever. leprosy and typhoid fever: but far
ecIipsing all former discoveries. on account
of the magnitude of the difficulties encoun-
tered and overcome. were the brilliant dem
onstrations OF the cause of consumption
and allied diseases. and that of Asiatlo
cholera by Doctor Robert Koch in 1852 and
in 1854. respectively.
From that time inward innumerabie
workers have satisfied the critical scientific
world as to the causes Of pneumonia, diph-
liberia, tetanus, influenza and bubonic
plague. besides many diseases of cattle,
horses. sheep and other animals and in
sects.
Having glanced hastily at the history OF
bacteriology We may next consider some
facts concerning the germs themselves.
What are they? To the lay mind the words.
germ. microbe. bacterium and bacillus Oft
en- CONVEX confused ideas Of invisible
wfggling. wormlfke creatures. enemies of
mankind. ever On the watch 10 gain q
stealthy entrance into our bodies. where
they wreak harm and death Scientifically
considered. however. they are the smalles.
Of living things yet known. They are not
animals. but are members Of the vegetable
kingdom and are possessed of definite yet
varying shapes. They consist Of a Jelly
like substance called protoplasm. which Is
covered in and held in place by a we'll
formed membrane OF a relatively hard ard
dense character. exactly similar in com
position TO the woody fiber OF trees.
The distribution In nature OF bacteria is
wei nigh universal. occurring as they do in
the air We breathe. the water and milk we
drink. upon the exposed surfaces Of maa
and animals, and In their intestinal tracts,
and in the soil to a depth Of about nine
feet But 1t has been noted that at very
high attitudes and In glacier ice none exist.
while in the Arctic regions and at sea far
from land their numbers are very few.
The food supply of many consists OF
dead animal and vegetable materials. a
few require living tissues, whilst a small
number can exist wholly upon mineral
salts, or even the nitrogen OF the air.
The lowest temperature at which some
bacteria can multiply is the freezing point
OF water and the highest I5 degrees
Fahrenheit However, the average range
OF temperature suitable to the majority
les between co and loa degrees Fahrenheit.
IS 20 degrees Fahrenheit being the most
suitable for the growth of disease-produc-
ing Terms. Light. ordinarily difused day
light. or its absence. is a matter of no
moment TO most germs. whereas direct
sunlight is a destroyer of all bacteria.
The study of the life histories Of these
diminuttve piants sxcites the weader Of
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27
The Montreal Smallpox
Experience Of 1885

smallpox-whils not q scourge Of the
first rank like the plague or cholera. at the
outset OF the century varioia was one OF
the most prevalent and dreaded Of all dis
eases. Few reached adult life without an
attack To-day. though outbreaks still &C.
cur, II Is a disease thoroughly controlled
by vaccination The protective power OF
the inoculated cowpox Is not a Fixed and
constant quantity. The protection may be
for life. or it may last only for q year or
two. Tn all-important fact 10 this: That
efficiently vaccinated persons may be ex-
posed with impunity. and among large
bodies OF men (e- g. the German Army.
in which reyaccination Is practiced. small
pox is unknown OF 100 vaccinated persons
exposed to smallpox. possibly one might
take the disease IN q mild form: Of 100 I'M
vaccinated persons 20 exposed. one alone
might escape. from twenty-five TO thirty
would die. To be efficient, vaccination
must be carried out Systematically. and IL
all the Inhabitants of this country were re-
vaccinated at intervals. smallpox would
disappear (as It has from the German
Army and the necessity for vaccination
would cease. The difficulty arises from the
constant presence Of IN unvaccinated
remnant. by which the disease Is kept
alive. The Montreal experience Of 1855 Is
an object lesson never to be forgotten
For eight or ten years vaccination had
been neglected, particularly among the
Frsnch-Canadtans- On February 8. iss5. a
Pullman car conductor, who came from
Chicago. where the disease had been slight
ly prevalent, was admitted into the Hotel
Dieu- Isolation was not carried out, and
on the 1st Of April q servant in the hospi-
tai died Of smallpox. Following her death
- -
homes AL patients who presented no symp-
toms OF the disease. Like fire In dry grass
the c~ontagion spread. and within nine
months there died of smallpox s.lsi persons.
1t ruined the trade Of the city for the win
ter and cost millions Of dollars. There are
no reasonable objections to vaccination.
which Is a simple process. by which a mild
and harmless disease Is introduced. The
use Of the animal vaccine does way with
the possibility of Introduction OF other dis
orders. such as syphilis.
Typhus Fever-Until the middle of the
present century this disease prevailed wide
ly In most Of the large cities. particularly
in Europe. and also in taiis, ships, hospi-
tails and camps. 1t was more widely spread
than typhoid fever and much more fatal
Murchison remarks Of it that a complete
history Of Its ravases would be the history
Of Europe during the past three centuries
and q alt Not one Of the acute Infections
seems 10 have been more dependent upon
filth and unsanitary conditions WIKI the
gradual Introduction of drainage and a
good water supply. and the relief of over
crowding. the disease has almost entirely
disappeared. and is rarely mentioned now
In the bilis Of mortality. excep; In a few OF
the larger and more unsauitary citieA The
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27
Theory and Practice IN
Use Of Antitoxins.

Now, II we could use these sntagonizins
substances. or. as they are called. anti
toxins, upon other men or animals sick
with q similar disease. would their bodies
be at once strengthened to resist and
finally overcome the disease? Yes. In .
certain majority Of cases they would. and
this Is exactly what scientific observers
have noted. worked out. and have success
fully applied. A new art in the healing OF
disease which is spoken OF broadly as
serum-therapy. or medication by curative
or protective serums. has thus been dis
covered.
The first observers in this new field were
Pasteur and Raynaud in France IN 1s77-7s.
and Salmon and Smith In this country
in 1s6. Raynaud. by injecting serum
from q calf which had had an attack Of
cowpox. prevented the appearance of the
disease IN a calf freshly inocuIated with
the virulent material of the disease. Pas
teur. by using feebly infective germs OF
fowl cholera. conferred immunity upon
healthy fowls against the disease and was
able to cure those which were I'll. Salmon
and Smith injected small and repeated
amounts of the elaborated toxins or poi
sons OF the bacillus or hog cholera in
to healthy swine. and were able to confer
immunity upon them.
However. II was not until Behring in
1882 announced his discovery Of an anti
toxic serum for diphtheria. along with an
undisputed proof Of its value in treatment.
that the attention of the scientific world
was finally aroused and stimulated to the
appreciation Of the great possibilities of
serum-therapy.
Strange as II may seem. much opposition
arose to this new method of treatment.
not alone from the lay portions Of the COM
munity. but even from the ranks of the
medical profession itself. This opposition
was due In part to misconceptions Of the
principles involved In the new doctrine. and
in part to the falsely philanthropic preju-
dices of the pseudo-scientific sections of
both parties. But by the persevering work
OF the enthusiastic believers in serum
therapy. positive conviction has now re-
placed misconception and prejudice in the
minds of the majority of its former oppo-
nents.
The accumulation Of statistical evidence.
even where all allowance Is made for
doubtful methods of compilation. shows
that the aggregate mortality Of diphtheria
has been reduced folly 90 per cent since
the introduction Of antitoxic treatment by
Behring IN 1856.
Tho following are some OF the diseases
which have been remarkably controlled
through the agency OF preventive medi-
cine:
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27
Diseases Caused By
Micro Organism.

Anthrax "A disease chiefly of cattle and
sheep. occasionally of man. Is caused by
the Bacillus anthracis. discovered In 1880
by Pollender and Davaine. 1t enters the
body through abrasions Of the skin. by
Inhalation OF the spores. or seeds. into the
lungs. or by swallowing infected material
Leprosy This disease 10 caused by a
bacillus known as bacillus leprae, which
was discovered by Hansen In 1873. 1t Is
doubtful II II has been grown outside the
body. II is supposed to enter by abrasions
of the skin. but II Is very feebly contag-
icns. Notwithstanding popular ideas as to
its supposedly highly contagious nature.
rculosis All forms Of this disease.
among which IL ordinary consumption.
are caused by a bacillus closely resembling
that Of leprosy. II was discovered by
Koch in 1Sso-s2. and named Bacillus tu-
berculosis. The ways of infection are by
inhaling the dried sputum OF consumptives.
drinking infected cows milk or eating in
fected meat
Typhoid Fever "A disease Of human be-
ings only. Eberth in 1880 discovered the
germ causing II and called 1t bacillus ty-
phosus- II gains entrance TO our bodies
chiefly In the milk and water We drink.
which comes from infected sources: a rarer
method Is by inhalation Of infected air.
Diphthefia-A disease Of human beings
chiefly. 1t is caused by a bacillus which
was described in 1854 by Klebs and Loef-
fer, and IL known as bacillus diph-
iberia. or Klebs-Loenler bacillus. Its
mode of entry IS by inhalins infected air.
or By drinking or eating infected milk or
food.
cholera-This disease IL peculiar to
human beings. Its native home is on the
banks Of the river Ganges in India. where
Koch in 1854 was able to Isolate its causa-
tive spirflum. Man 10 infected by drink
ing contaminated water or by contact
Lockjaw. or Tetanus-Aflicts a
horses and dogs. The bacillus tetani Is
the most deadly ee all known bacteria
It enters the body BY wounds. 1t was
discovered in 1884 by Nicoiaier.
Influenza. or the Grip-Caused by one OF
the smallest known bacilii; discovered in
1892 by Canon and Pfeiner. Infection
spreads by the scattering about by air
currents OF the dried nasal and bron-
chiai secretion of those suffering from the
disease, and its portal Of entry Is by the
nose and bronchial tubes.
Pneumonia-Caused by q coccus. which
grows In pairs and small chains. 1t en-
tiers the body by means Of the respiratory
tract. 1t Is present in the saliva Of 20
per cent Of healthy persons Proved by
Frankei In 1885 to be the cause Of this dis
ease.
Bubonic PlagueIn 1894 Kitasato and
Yersin isolated q small bacillus In q large
number of cases and proved IT to be the
cause. IT enters the body by means Of
wounds Of the skin. and through bites Of
feas from infected rats which are said
to be one OF the chief factors in spreading
this dread malady.
Yellow Fever-The cause Of this disease
IS still under discussion.
Such are a few of the infectious diseases
which we can readily attribute to the pres
enee Of definite micro~-organisms In respec-
tive cases.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27

following figures illustrate what has bsso
done in England within sixty years: In
iSs IN England LIS persons died OF fever
(typhus and typhoid per million of living.
Twenty years later the figures were reduced
to sis: in 1873 to coo Of typhoid and to IS OF
typhus fever. In 1882 only 137 died of ty-
phoid fever and only 3 of typhus per mil
lion living
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27

Gated problems Of the first half the cen
fury related to the differentiation OF the
fevers. The eruptive fevers. measles. scar
let fever and smallpox. were easily recog-
nized. and the great group OF malsrial f-
vers was well known; but there remained
the large class of continued fevers. which
had been a source Of worry and dispute
for many generations.
Louis clearly differentiated typhoid fever,
and by the work of his American pupils
W. W. Gerhard and Alfred tile Of Phila-
delphis, and George B. Shattuck OF Bos-
ton. typhus and typhoid fever were denned
as separate and Independent affections Re
laps;ng fever. yellow fever, dengue. etc,
were also distinguished The work OF
Graves and Stokes of Dublin. of Jenner and
Budd in England. Of Drake. Dickson and
Flint In America. supplemented the laoors
OF the French physicians. and by the year
1850 the profession had reached a sure ana
safe position on the question OF the clinical
aspects of fevers.
The most distinguishing feature Of the
scientific medicine Of the century has been
the phenomenal results which have FOL
lowed experimental Investigations While
this method Of research IL not new. since II
was introduced by Galen. perfected by
harvey ana carried on Dy buHtcr, "S
not until well into the middle OF this CEN
fury that, by the growth of research Ia
boratories, tha method exercised a deep
influence on prosress. The lines of expert
mentaI research have sought to determine
the functions OF the organs in health. the
conditions under which perversion of these
functions occur in diseases. and the posi-
bility Of exercising protective and curative
influences on the processes OF disease.
The researches OF the physiological
laboratories have enlarged in every direc-
ton our knowledge of the great functions
of Iife-digestion assimilation. circulation.
respiration and excretion. Perhaps in no
department have the results been more
surprising than In the growth OF our
knowledge Of the functions OF the brain
and nerves Not My has experimental
upon the localization Of certain functions
OF the brain and of the paths Of sensatory
and Of motor impulses. but II has opened
an entirely new field in the diagnosis and
treatment of the diseases of these organs,
in certain directions of a most practical
nature. enabling Us to resort to measures
of -elief undreamed OF even thirty years
ago.
The study OF physiology and pathology
within tn, past half century has done
more to emancisate medicine from routine
and the thraldom of authority than all
the work of all the physicians from the
days OF Hippocrates to Jenner. and We are
as yet but on the threshold