Year: 1862

ing the blood so thick that it will not run


through the fine bIood-vessels, so that the


body becomes cold, and spasms and


cramps follow. So, in diptheria, the


fibrin or plastic part Of the blood is


poured out through the mucous mem


brane, and adhering to the surface of the


membrane so firmly that it can be re-


moved only by violence, until the mucous


membrane passes through those stages OF


the inflammation which enable it to throw


off the false membrane by a natural pro


cess. In losing the fbrin the blood be-


comes impoverished, perhaps to such


degree that it will not support life.


1t has been ascertained that the wind
/ pipe (trachea) and smaller tubes that 20


to all parts Of the lungs, are completely


lined by the plastic membrane, even when
there is none in sight, and this membrane


is so dense that the air cannot pass


through it to purify the blood or to i'm
part oxygen to it,-neither can the car


bon or carbonic acid of the blood be dis


charged through it. Consequently the


blood has TO return to the heart and pass


again and again through the system, be-


coming every time more and more i'm


pure, and passing through the arteries as


impure venOus Jlood,-the patient looks
blue and gives evidence that the vital


powers are failing.


1t is not only the air passages that are
affected, but often, if not always, the
whole membrane of the stomach and
bowels bat as the obstruction, or rather
the coating Of The bowels does not inter
tere with any vital operation, little or no
inconvenience is experienced from it, and
the mucou. membrane which is always
in state Of inflammation when the plastic |
substance eXudes from it. will cast off the |
false membrane when il is returning to a
healthy condition And may it not be
asked, is not this firm coating on the sur
face Of the mucous membrane a provision
of nature to shield and protect the in
famed membrane 1t is celtiin that il a
portion Of this coating be removed by |
tde causdc, the probang, or by any other
will. if the disease has not progressed too
far, secrete another coating. Now what /
would be the consequence, suppose some
hero Of the Probang and Caustic should
succeed in tearing of the false membrane
of the throat and windpipe before the
mucous membrane has nearly returned to
its healthy state Not only would he run
the risk Of choking bis patient with a
piece OF loose membrane, but the patient
would feel as though he had taken
swallow of boiling liquid that had taken
all the skin from his throat. How cruel,
then, to use any harsh or violent treat
ment in disease that requires the most
soothing remedies


That the "reguIars" sre no more sue
cessful in treating diptheria is regretted as
much by themselves as by others. No
class of men have better wishes for the
community in which they live, none will
do more for the poor and distressed none
have kinder feelings towards their pat
ronS than they then can any one sup
pose that they will not save the life Of a
darling child, if they can? And are not
men who make disease and its treatment
the study of their lives, as likely to un-
derstand how the diseased system should
be treated as anybody else DO men of
sense take a fine watch to a tinker when
it is out of ORDER And is it not as diff
cult and as important to understand the
system of a child, as the machinery of
watch


This article, so far, Mr.. Editor is very
unlike the one first intended to write,
and l will now hasten to its close by
few words of advice.


As soon as there is reason to believe
that one has the disease, send immedi-
a.ely for a physician. Do not try to
doctor yourselves" nor call upon those
who have not studied disease Should
you find that you have mistaken your
nan and have got one who wants to salt ,
your throat to gargle it with cayenne, to S
it, or pass the murderous pro-
lang into it, tell him that You have read
his article, and that you can submit to q
zone of these things. Tell him that you [
will have only the most soothing applca- a
ions to your throat-that you want your
ystem regulated as far as possible, and .
our strength supported until nature q
hrows off the false membrane. Tell him '
hat no "heroic" treatment is required in a
our case, aud if he is not satisfied, let
i'm take his leave, and you will get an- =,
ther as soon rs Won car. or courSe | i