The Brinkley argus., 1909-03-05

marked soreness in the throat IS coHi- pIained of. Roughly speaking, attacks of sore throat, which begins first of all with we'll marked soreness and pain in the throat, followed later by headache. backache and fever, are not very likely to be diphtheda. The bacilll multiply and increase in their deadly mat on the surface of the throat. larger and larger amounts of the pol son are poured into the blood, the temperature goes up, the headaene Increases, the child often begins to vomit, and becomes seriously i'll. The glands of the neck in their efforts to arrest and neutralize the poison, become swollen and sore to the touch, the breath becomes foul from the breaking down of the membrane in throat, the pulse becomes rapid ana weak from the effect of the poison on the heart, and the dreaded picture oi the disease rapidly develops.
 This process in from sixty to eighty per cent of cases will continue for from three to seven days, when a check will come and the condition will gradually improve. This is sign that the defensive tissues of the body have succeeded in rallying their forces against the attack, and have poured out sufficient amounts of the natural antitcxin to neutralize the poisons poured in by the invaders. The membrane begins to break down and peel off the throat. the temperture goes down. the headache disappears, the swelling in the glands of the neck may either subside or go on to sup puration and rupture. but within another week the child is fairly on the way to recovery.
 Should the invaders, however, have SC cured a fcothold tn the laryEx, then the picture Is sadly different. The child may have even less headache, temperature and general sense cf illness; but he begins to cough. and the cough has ringing, brassy sound. Within forty eight, or even twenty four, hours he begins 10 have difficulty in respiration. This rapidly increases as the delicate tissues of the larynx swell under the attack of the poison. and the very membrane which is created in an attempt at defense be- comes the body's own undoin2 by increasing the blocking of the air passages. The difficulty of breathing becomes greater and greater, until the little victim >soases continually from side to side in ons constant. agonizing struggle for breath. After time, however. the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood produces It's
 
 mer.cful narotic effect, and the strug- gles ceases The breathing becomes shaiIower and shaIlowsr. the lips be- come first blue. then ashey pale, and the little torch Of fife goes out with a flicker. This was what we had to ea pect. in spite of our utmost ssfort. in from seventy to ninety per cent ef these laryngeal cases. before the days of the blessed -antitoxia. Now we actually reverse these percentages, prevent the vast majority of cases from developing serious laryngea symptoms at all. and save from seven ty to eighty per cent of those who do
 Our only resource in this form 0! the disease used 10 be by mechanical or surgical means. opening the wind pipe below the level Of the obstruction and inserting curved. silver tubs -the so-caled tracheotomy operation; ol later. and less heroic. by pushing for eibly down into the larynx and through and past the obstfuction at the yoca cords a small metal tube thr9ueh which the child could manage tc breathe. This was known as intuba- ton. But these were both distressing and painful methods. and. what was far worse. pitifuly brokea reeds Is de- pend upon. In spite of the utmost skill of our surgeons. from fifty to eighty per cent of cases that were tracheotomized. and from forty to sixty per cent of those that were in- tubated. died h many cases they were enabled to breathe. their attacks of suffocation were relieyed--but still they died.
 ThiS Lad. ne .o the ruoaf irunor