Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-21

our people. 1t is not my purpose and
would be foreign to the object of this
paper to enter at all into a discussion
of the symptomatology, pathology. di-
aenosis proenoss, or treatment but
only wish TO offer a few suggestions at
it's conclusion regarding prophylactic
procedures.
The medical literature regarding ty-
phoid fever. while up to the present
century existed under other names and
was COMPOUNDED with typhus fever, is
very prolific and perhaps has engaged
the attention of medical writer's to a
greater extent than any other physi-
cal disease. outside of pulmonary tuber-
cuIosis. The Maine Insane hospital
library. the gift of Dr. Vaughan of
HalloWel. which became the institu-
tion's property before the middle of the
last century. affords fruitful oppor-
tunities for the study of authors who
have written on this particular malady
dating back to Hippocrates. While, as
| have said. the nomenclature does not
correspond with that of today yet the
symptOmatOlogy narrated discloseS
idiopathic typhoid fever of the present
day. 1t is fair to presume that enteric
fever has prevailed, either in an cpl
demic or sporadic form, since the early
dawn of civilization, as ancient medilal
literature demonstrates. 1t is also
probable, because of the fact the dis
ease is so common where large bodies
are congregated. like the mobilization
of armies, that it is more prevalent
throughout the world than any other
physical disturbance, with the eXcep-
ton perhaps of tuberculosis.
1t may be of interest to note that the
attributable causes for the production
of the affection have differed very
widely from the etology of today. AS
late as 1915, DR.. Robert Thomas, whom
have no doubt wrote an admirable
treatise upon THE Practice of Physic"
and no doubt was regarded as the
standard practice at that date, in
speaking of the causes of fever says:
Certain passions of the mind such as
grief fear, anxiety, and joy have been
enumerated among the causes of fever
and in a few instances it is probable
they may have given rise to it but the
concurrence of some other power
seems generally necessary to produce
this affection" He goes on to say:
Another frequent cause of fever seems
to he the beathing of air contaminated
by the vapor arising either directly or
originally from the body of a person
iaborinS under the disease. A peculiar
matter is supposed to be generated in
the body of a person affected with
fever. and this floating in the atmos-
n hainp onnlia1 i'm
health. will no doubt often cause fever
to take place in his, which has in
duced many to suppose, that this in
fictitious matter is produced in all fevers
whatever and that they are more or
less contagious. The eftluvia arising
from the human body, if long confined
to one place without being diffuSed in
the atmosphere, will, it is we'll known.
acquire Il singular Vrullence, and will,
if applied to the bodies of men, become
4 cause of fever. EXhalations arising
from animal or vegetable substances
in q state of putrefaction, have been
looked upon as another general cause of
fever. marshy or moist grounds, acted
upon by heat for any length of time,
usually send forth eXhalations which
prove a never failing source of fever.
Marsh miasma. as these eXhalations
are usually termed, have undoubtedly
the peculiar effect of inducing fever
unon human bodies" Brevity will not
ALLOW me to quote further the opinion
of the earlier authors but will simply
state that there is observed quite a
unanmity of opinion as to the
miaSmatic influences contributing to
the cause of this particular malady. In
deed. so late as the writings of Wood"
and "Roberts" it is assei ted that the
heat OF summer operating upon vege-
tatiOn producing putrefactiOn and be-
ing thrown off from the earth by
evaporation are fruitful sources in the
causation of typhoid fever and because
of this contention, the significant title
of Autumnal Fever is attached. 1t
may be we'll to suggest, however, that
in New England, especially of late
years, the disease has not occurred in
the early autumn or during the period
of decaying vegetation but is much
more frequently observed during the
winter and early spring months. While
the theories of the early writer's may
not be wholly erroneous and much
credit should be given them for re-
search yet in the more recent discov-
cry of the germ theory and which to-
day may be regarded as an established
fact. the truth of which has been
demonstrated through the earnest and
profound efforts and interchangeable
!abors of n long line of Investigators,
we now know that this nhammatory
condition. which we term typhoid fever
is produced and propagated by a
specific germ, the Bacillus Typhosus,"
special micro organism, the discov-
erv of which is the result of the re-
searches of "Eberth," Koch" Gaffky,"
and others. I think it may be safe to
state that I shall not be criticised in
the assertion that we have entered upon
an era which is extending a far more
intelligent method of research both as
to The etiolOgy and treatment of dis
ease 1t would seem then, if we have
arrived at the truth, that in the treat-
ment of this specific disease the physi-
clan should direct his efforts primarily
to IT'S prevention and that it should be-
come his duty to see to it that meth
DDS of instruction in the direction of
proper sanitation be inculcated in his
deld of practice.
In the assignment of this naner If