The Washington herald., 1912-07-14
Vaccination Latest Cure
for Rheumatic Sufferers
Hypodermic Injections Gipen Patients Prove Suc-
cessful, and Latest Medical Discovery Is
Boon to Mankind-Serums Made of
Dead Germs Are Given Patients.


fever the greatest danger Is not from, the
malady itself, but from those malignant
"streptococci," which, as secondary in
vaders. give rise to all sorts of dreadful
complications. Incidentally. they may in
duce rheumatism.
Now that the reason why Of rheuma-
tism is at last known. II is easy to un-
derstand many things about II which
hitherto have seemed wholly mysterious.
Consider. for example. the character Of
the ordinary attack-its sudden onset, the
accompanying fever, and the tendency TO
run a certain course All Of these phe-
nomena are strikingly suggestive Of an
acute infection.
Such being the case, 1t Is easy to see
why no medicine does the rheumatic suf-
ferer much good. Everything imagina-
BILE has been tried as cure. but un-
availingly. Notifications Of diet are use
less. because the digestive disturbances
which often accompany the trouble are
not the cause but merely a result. Some
physicians condemn port wine. others
recommend IL. Electric light baths are
occasionally beneficial. but probably be-
cause they are good for the general
health. Medical practice hitherto, where
rheumatism was concerned. has been a
mere cropping Ia the dark.
The disease Is one of the most serious
and widespread Affections Of the human
race. In the acute form, its onset is
often sudden and involving many OF the
joints. which become red. swollen. pain
full, and sensitive to the touch. When
II subsidies, the afflicted joint usually
shows scme permanent change; il may
be slight. but II is there. For instance.
a finger joint will be a bit increased in
size, or the capsule of the knee-joint
"a dense fibrous membrane in which the
joint is incased) is thickened.
Joints Are Attacked.
This is quoted from DR.. Thomas Nc
Crae. a very high authority. who adds
that. in the chronic form. rheumatism
usually comes On slowly. perhaps attack
ing a single joint. which swells grad
ually and becomes painful Other joints
are progressively attacked When the
malady has advanced up to a certain
point. the face is liable 10 assume a pale
and sallow look; there is fever and a
pulse higher than normal: and small
dark spots. sometimes much like freckles,
appear on the face. neck, arms. and
hands.
In elderly. stout women the disease
sometimes affects the knee joints in
such a manner as to cause them to
give way without warning. There is
usually more or less reformation Of the
joints. and this may affect the back
bone in such fashion as to make il ab-
solutely rigid. the cartilages between the
vertebrae being replaced by bony sub
stance. The natural curves Of the back
bone disappear. and a condition known
as poker spine supervenes. Occasion
ally II happens that the sufferer be-
comes entirely disabled.
In view OF the new discovery. II has
become apparent that the most irnpor-
tant thing in cases OF rheumatic attack
is to act quickly. The mouth OF the pa
tient should be examined. and IL there
are decayed teeth they should receive
proper attention Next. an examination
should be made Of the tonsils. often II
happens that seemingly healthy tonsn
has deep pockets which harbor the
virulent "streptococci." II there is any
thing wrong in that quarter. they must
be cut entirely out. Not least important
is scrutiny OF the nasal passages. TO
make sure that no ''foci'' of infection
exist there.
should Discover Source.
Rheumatism being a bacterial ;nfec-
ton. the first point OF Importance is TO
discover the source of the germs. A
bad attack of the malady. affecting many
parts of the body, has been known to
follow troubles with a suppurating joint.
When the joint was treated the rheu-
matism rapidly improved. In another
case (mentioned by DR.. McCrae) acute
rheumatism of the spine subsided rap
idly after treatment of the original
focus of infection in the nose. II
sufferer from rheumatism has recently
had tonsilitis. there is excellent reason
for suspecting the tonsils OF accounta-
biIity. Those useless organs are un-
ouestionably responsible for a large per-
centace of all cases OF rheumatism.
All is well known. other animals beside
man suffer from rheumatism. Dogs, par
licularly in old age, are greatly troubled
it. often with resulting deformities Of
the Joints. Confirmation Of the infection
theory has been obtained BY inoculat-
Ing rabbits with bacterial cultures OBJ
tanned from human joints affected by the
disease, the typical destruction and de-
formation of bone and cartilage follow
ing Rheumatic fever. or something very
like il, has been induced in rabbits by
inoculations Of "streptococci."
Some Bacteria Harmless.
Bacteria are microscopic plants. Most
of them are entirely harmless, and some
cf them even beneficial But quite a
number of species have become parasites,
and. attacking human beings and other
animals. cause disease. In the manufac-
ture and use of the so-called ''vacCtnes,
for the cure or prevention OF rheuma-
tism, typhoid fever. or what not. We are
oealing with true vegetable drugs. They
are an entirely new class of drugs,
which seem likely to prove OF utmost
value TO mankind II certain of them
are destined. as is likely. TO serve as
cures for rheumatism. they will do away
with an immense amount of suffering
which hitherto has seemed to be beyond
tie mower of medical skill to alleviate
RENE BACHE.