Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-25
a PROPOSED TYPHOID CURE.


There are few diseases more dreaded
than typhoid fever. and there Is good
cause for tho prevalent fear of IL.
In the famously heaithful region about
Atlanta this Is one OF the very few dis
eases that ever cause much apprehension.
but wherever typhoid fever appears there
is danger. and every part Of this country
is subject more or less TO the ravages Of
this dire maladyA
The treatment OF Il has undoubtedly
been improved very much In the last few
years. Consequently the fatality from II
has decreased notably, but tho disease
Is stiil 20 dangerous that every new treat
ment OF II that seems eo promise better
results than have hitherto been obtained
Is Joyfully received.
The Chicago Chronicle gives prominence
20 q communication from one OF its read
ers who thinks that he has como into the
possession Of knowledge which suffering
humanity should have. and which he pro
oeeds to circulate through the columns
OF that newspaper.
The treatment referred 10 is new. 1t has
been discussed very little I'm the medical
or general press. and we give the state
ment OF its merits from the Chicago
CHRONICLES correspondent for what II is
worth. He says:
People who are interested in the sub
probably includes most OF the urban pop
ulation-will b glad 20 Know that, ac-
cordfng 10 roOd medical authority, there
IL substantial reason 20 believe that q
specific remsdy has been discovered for
the disease.
1T would be more proper perhaps. 20 say
that Il has been invented. as Il is the re-
suit Of synthetic chemistry directed to-
ward a liked object.
Typhoid germs win not live in nascent
oxygen. That gas kills them. II has.
therefore. been the aim OF chemists 10
devise some combination which viii lib
crate oxygen I'm the small intestine where
the typhoid germs swarm. The difnculty
has been that all the compounds hitherto
elaborated have given up the oxygen In
the stomach. while the seat Of the trouble
IS fifteen feet further down. This fault,
II Is hoped. has been remedied by the COM
position OF a substance called acetozone
According to physicians who have test
ed the drug-it is not a patent medicine
II reduces the temperature Of typhoid
patient from los or 1o4 TO 100 or even lower
within 10 hours. and shortens the duration
Of the disease and commissioners from six
or seven weeks 20 half that time, besides
rendering the patient comparatively COM
Portable and free from deiirium during
the whole period.
1T Is said that At the county hospital,
where the conditions are by no means
favorable. fifty test cases have been treat
ed with acetozone without q single death
resulting. The normal typhoid mortality
ranges from s 10 10 per cent.
Physicians are traditionally slow TO
endorse any remedy that has not borne
the test Of a years employment. Hence
they do not yet unreservedly commend
the new typhoid specific"
OF course, Il is too soon to form any re-
liable estimate OF an alleged one that has
been tried for 30 short a time. but the
Importance Of seeking for some better
treatment Of typhoid fever than has yet
been found. and the fact that we have
made much less progress toward the mas
terry Of this disease than many others
should induce US 20 give a fair show TO
every proposed typhoid treatment that
comes form a respectable source.