Show diphtheria some valuable scientific ers the newspapers have said but little about the prevalence of diphtheria over considerable areas in the northwestern north western states but as a matter of fact the ravages of that terrible disease are so much more extensive and deadly than were those of yellow fever in florida last summer as to make the latter scourge seem comparatively ively insignificant such ia the statement of a chicago the same journal publishes a scientific article chieh describes what are sup posed to be the causes of tha disease its symptoms and the tre anich should be followed in combat tag it the article states that the present epidemics death does abot as a rule result from suffocation but from a failure of the heart here is the great danger the throat symptoms are extremely slight butil the child ia almost dead the diphtheritic patch present oa the throat ton sils and palate are so faint in many of these fatal cases as to escape attention until the sudden collapse ef the child demands an explanation which is found in a grayish patch the peculiar throat odor which frequently reveals diphtheria has been absent in many of these cases the constitutional are often absent until the sudden final collapse the article in endeavoring to ac the epidemic it is probably due to the strain put upon the drainage by tho abundant rainfall and the resultant interference with outflow tha best method of checking the spread of the disease would bo to sea that the bouse drains are in I 1 proper condition the following preventive measures are ed in many cases drain re galation gu lation will not be feasible in those cases as well as in those where it is feasible of all outlets and inlets by chlorinated limo or solutions of chlorinated soda will be an excellent means of preventing the entrance of a diphtheritic element or depressing effects of sewer gas which while not itself causing the disease so weakens the heart that the chief effects of diphtheria are localized there from this paragraph it would inferentially ferenti ally appear that the sewerage is by no means a specific against diphtheria unless m connection therewith other precautions are taken the following suggestions respecting this deadly malady seem t embody an amount of scientific truth and good common sense sufficient to justify their reproduction here the earliest symptoms of the disease are indistinguishable from those of an ordinary sore throat indeed the constitutional symptoms of the latter often exceed them in seventy la the event of sore throat occurring in a child in a chero diphtheria is prevalent the childs throat should be carefully examined gray patch be observed jon the tonsils or palate or elsewhere this should be touched with a pinch of sulphur or where this is not a few drops of tincture of iodine should be poured on a handkerchief and held before the mouth to inhale the vapor while the physician is sent for the child s strength should up with milk or preferably fer ably frequently given strong coffee is also 0 great value in sustaining the heart the child should be isolated bromall fro mall other children visitors should it possible not be allowed and should be prevented from kissing it the princess alice lost her life s child cats dogs fowls and rabbits should bo kept out of tho room since these frequently convey the disease there should ba asdall quantity of sulphur burned from time to time in the sick chamber which comes from tha child should b d infected it would be well also lo 10 fumigate the apart mentin which the child was first caked sick the childs food should be frequently given and ba of greatly nutritious quality the spread of diphtheria can tse readily checked by isolating for short time in a goomby itself each child which from a bore throat a vt U f i ff ta y t 1 l diphtheria epidemic children daring such an epidemic should be forbidden to indulge in indiscriminate lassing i whether OE adults or children the symptoms of the present malignant epidemic are slight fever alight swelling of the glands of the threat and sudden exhaustion all these are indistinguishable from ordinary sore throat prevention oa the lines already laid down givas better results than any treatment the physician should be called early in cases of sore throat in a diphtheritic neighborhood |