Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1904-09-29
Diphtheria.

~
lage of Neuville-Champ-d'Oisel,
about nine miles from Rouen, made
an important experiment last year,
which may be the means of saving
many lives if the knowledge Of 1t
comes to be widely difused. A
violent epidemic of diphtheria broke
out, and the deaths were appallingly
and his usual methods Of
treatment seemed a total failure. He
remembered that the English had
used petroleum (kerosene) as an anti
spasmodic and ~antiseptic; he deter
mined to use it on a little girl Of
seven, whom he had given up. He
explained to the parents that with
their consent he would make the ex-
pertinent, and at once commenced
swabbling the throat with the petro-
leum. He was careful not to have
an excess of the material on his
brush, as a drop too much might
strangle in the disabled condition OF
the throat and larynX. To his aston
ishment there was improvement af-
ter the first application. He cOntIn-
ued the treatment, and the child re-
covered; and he used it successfully
with many patients atterWard-in
fact, he lost none. Lest this should
turn out too good news to be true,
and it should prove that be had
been treating false diphtheria, which
so closely resembles the true that
only examination by an expert
bacteriologist can determine its ma
ture, he sent portions OF the expec-
torated membrane to Prof. Francois
Hue, bacteriologist of the Medical
College of Rouen, and he reported
the presence of numerous bacilli of
diphtheria. A little observation
and reflection show how the potent
fluid works. The membrane of
diphtheria consists of a most rapidly
growing plant, and among the other
elements in petroleum is a large
amount Of sulphur, which is very
inimica to diphtheria membrane.
Did you ever notice how effectually
a handful of common salt will kill a
tuft of thrifty grass? There IS some
thing in this oil that is just as fatal
to the diphtheria plant; at once the
membrane seems to become thinner;
i. e., it ceases to grow, and that
which had attained itsgroWth breaks
down under the softening of the oil,
and eventually disappears. We are
thus careful in detailing the use of
this remedy; for surprising a person,
far from a physician, is attacked
with some malady which produces
"white spots on the throat"
Whether it is true or false diphthe-
ria, it is an undesirable inmate, very
liable to be communicated to others,
for it only wants a throat slightly
infamed by a cold to find its natural
habitat soil where it will thrive.
Of course the family has kerosene in
the house, and a bit OF soft old cloth
wrapped about a smooth stick will
answer in the absence of the camel's
hair brush always recommended in
regulation articles on applications to
surfaces; the point is to get that oil
on to the white spots and kill the
bacterial growth then and there.
The operation should be repeated
once an hour, the careful Kidding Of
the brush or sWak of any superhuous
drop prevents choking, the person
applying the oil should be careful to
stand a little at one side, so that
should the patient cough, ne particle
of expectorated material can get in
to the eye of the operator, as the hui
man eye is of all culture mediums
for diphtheria bacilli, about the most
favorable, and to-day many a lost
eye is owing to want of carefulness.
1t is said that the patients experience
relief at the first application, and if
the bursh is properly shaken before
using, the only discomfort they ex-
perience is a d~isagreeable taste for q
short time. We wish that a warn
ing word might make people more
vigi1ant as to the care to keep the
disease confined to the original suf
ferer. Among the ignorant and
poor, where comforts are scarce, it is
spread by using the same handker
chief for the sick and well, allowing
them to drink from the same glass
etc. etc. A German family of five