The Felding Star. Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1893.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 34, 9 August 1893, Page 2

The Felding Star. Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1893.

DIPHTHERIA Although the disease of diphtheria has compararively recently mads its appearance in this colony, yet it has been known for many years, and wns in 18*26 described by M Brettoneau, of Tours, as a form of very fatal soro throat, occurring chiefly in children, and npt to he confounded with croup, with malignant soro throat ns it is found in connection with scarlet fever, and with acute tonsilitis. Diphtheria is distinct from those diseases, not only in tbo symptoms, but in the character nnd position of the morbid changes in tho mucous membrane. It begins by vntUriw (uneasinss), feeling of chilliness, loss of appetite, headache, and more or less fever , soon the throat feels hot and painful, while tho neck is t-tifl and tender. If seen early the throat is red and swollen, but a false membrane of yellowish or grayish colour quickly nppeurs in spreading patches on an inflamed and ulcerated base iv the back of the throat, nnd often extends down tho gullet, one side usually more atfected than the other. There may bo onlargemout of the glands nt tho angle of the jaw, and albumonuria generally occurn at some stage of the disease. Diphtheritic metubrano may be got on any mucous surface, or even on a wound; if it extends into tho. larynx it gives rise to cough and difficulty in breathing. The throat affection is often accompanied by a low and very dangerous form of fever, with great and rapid loss of the patient's strength, which is still further reduced by the inability to tako food ; in other cases the dis ease is fatal by paralysis of tho hoart, or by suffocation, due to invasion of the larynx, when tracheotomy may require to be resorted to. Diphtheria is contagious and has the peculiar tendency of tacking itself on to other diseases, especially scarlet fever, when it assumes a very fatal gangrenous form. Damp and temperate climates seem to favor its developement, while the contagium may remain dormant for long periods. Outbreaks have been directly traced to impure water and bad drainage. The troatment aims at keeping up the strength of the patieut by means of concentrated beef tea, milk, egg-flip, and alcohol. Iron in large doses is most valuable, and sometimes quinine. For other information the boat thing parents can do is at once to apply to a medical man. There is no disease in which the personal supervision of a medical man is mote imperatively damnnriftfl