Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-10-04
AMoEBlC D%YsENTERY.

them had heard that in Brazil. where
there was much OF the disease, ipecac
was the standby.
Then along came an English phys
ician. Rogers. working in India, who
proved that there was a scientific basis
for the practice Of the old time phys
icians. He found that emetin. one Of
the active principles Of ipecac. was as
specific Il poison for the amoebas as
qulnine. another substance OF vegetable
origin. was for that other animal para
site-the p%lasmodium Of malaria. The
public health service has verified the
statement that by giving emetin hy-
podermically, or by the mouth. or by
washing the teeth with 1t, the amoebas
found in he mouth will disappear
therefrom. However. amoebas, uch
as are found in the mouth. are so ON
nipresent that they in The
mouth soon after the use OF emetin has
been stopped.
In treating amoebic dysentery with
emetin the patient is put to bed. DR..
Bates. who had a large experience with
amoebic dysentery on the canal zone.
says that complete rest in bed Is nee
essary II the disease Is to be cured to
stay cured. He then gives ono or more
doses of castor oil. He also gives one
half grain or a grain of emetin every
day until the patient has taken six
grains. During this time the patient
eats nothing except sweet milk. Fol-
owing this. the patient has some other
treatment at the direction of his phys
ician.
1t is important that the patient con-
tinue following directions until he is
completely cured. In this disease. as in
malaria. the patients are disposed to
quit when they think they are well.
They feel better and they think that
makes a failure in completing the cure
in dysentery as we'll as In malaria.
Another form of dysentery also sub
ject to increase in armies in the field is
bacillary or ordinary dysentery. This
form of fluX is due to vegetable para
the bacilli of dysentery is that discov-
cred by a Japanese scientist and which
goes by his name-the Shiga bacillus.
II this were the only bacillus which
caused flux the situation would be easy.
for there is a serum for the dysentery
caused by this bacillus. This serum Is
almost "A sure cure for all cases Of
~dysentery due to the Shiga bacillus.
In this country. ~dysentery. in both
grown people and babies. is generally
caused by some bacillus other than that
OF Shiga. In consequence the Shiga
serum is not much used. 1T is not OF
much Service in treating the disease aus
1T is seen in the United States.
In bacillary dysentcry. infection is
carried by Contaminated drinking wa
ter and milk. and by flies. When ster-
iliZed water and ~pasteuriZed milk are
used exclusively. and no flies are all
lowed. there is very little bacillary
dysentery.
After an incubation period of from
two 60 eight days. the disease starts
with Il fever and q diarrhoea. IL the
food is stopped at C.lce and q big dose
of castor oil is given. the disease may
be cut short. In a short while the or
binary loose bowels is replaced by
stools containing mucus and pus and
blood. or by pure blood There are
many passages d day. Straining a:
stool is a prominent symptom.
When Il patient has this form OF
dysentery. he may die or he may get
we'll, but he is not very apt to stay
~chronically sick or to appear to get
we'll and then relapse. The cases which
hang III are generally OF the amoeba
form.
Summer time is the season for bacil-
larry diarrhoea. The danger of con-
tracing it is greatest in August, less
ems In September. is materially less in
October. and then remains at a low
ebb through the fall, winter and early
spring.
If the people will be careful of their
drinking water, will use only pasteur-
lied milk. will wash and peel or cook
all fruit and vegetables. and will keep
the flies away until October 1 they
will not suffer much from this disease.
These precautions will save soldiers
from epidemics of the disease.
Not Looking For SINGERS.