Remedies for Diphtheria.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1460, 21 September 1885, Page 4

Remedies for Diphtheria.

It would appear from the extracts given hercunder that Science has at last discovered antidotes to or cares for that terribly fatal disease diph- , theria. The matter is such pa<'a- 1 mount importance that we gladly give, the* requisite .-.pate for the excerp s, m the ho^ > they may l)e cnt put and kept fo • fntiii c ref rence m the event of an epidemic breaking-out m the district. Ruth Lockwood, the nine year-old child of Thomas Lockwood, a compositor m the New York Times office, became violently ill with diphtheria on Tuesday night. She was so weak that it was deemed dangeious to perform the operation to tracheotomy, or cutting owen the wind-pipe. On Thursday, Dr. Nichols, of 117 West Washington Place, who wan attending her, received a copy of the Paris Figero which cojfained a report made to the French Academy of Medicines' <ly Dr. Deltheil. D-. Deteil said that the vapours of liquid tar and tn pentine would dissolve the fibrous exudation .which i hakes up the throat m croup and diphtheria. Dr. Deltheil's procosss was described. He pours equal parts of turpentine and liquid tar in»o a tin pan or cup and sets fire to the mixture. A. dense resinous smoke arises, which obscures the air of the mvm 1 " The patient," Dr. Delihil s>ys " immeJiately seems to experience relief; the choking and rattel stop; the patient falls iuto aslumber, and s« ems to inhale the smoke with ploa>uro. The fibrinous membrane soon becomes detached, and the pati«nt coughs up and microbicuies. Tlie.sc, when caaght m a glass, may l»e seen to dissolve m the smoke. In the course of three dajs afterwards the patient entirely recovered" Dr. Nichols tri'd this treatment with littlo Ruth Lookwood. She was lying gasping for breath when he visited her. First pouring about two tablespoonsful of liquified tar m an iron pan, he poured as much turpentine over it, and set it on fire. The rich resinous smoke which lose to the ceiling was by no means unpleasant. As it filledthe 100 m. the child's breathing became natural; an V as the smoke grew dense she fell asleep. The following is reprinted from the Hobart " Mercury" of Novembor 12th. A. few years ago, when diphtheria was raging m England, a gentleman accompanied the celebrate 1 Dr. Field on his rounds to witncs3 the so-called " wonderful cures " which he performed, while the patients of Others were dropping on all sides. Tho remedy, to l»e so rapid, must le simple: 'all he wink with him was flour of snlplinr and a quill, and with this he cure I every patient witl. out exception. He put a tea3poi »nful ■ f flour of brimstone into a wineglass of waler,and stirred it with his finger instead of a s-'oon, as the sulphur does not readily amalgamate with water. When the sulphur was we 1 mixed, he gave io as a gargle, and iiv ten minutes the patient was out of danger. Instead of spitting out the gargle, he recommended the swallowing ofiti. Tn.'ox.treine casts, m whvh he had j-ist ;becn called m m the nick of time, when the fungus was too nearly closing" to allow the gargling, he blew •he sulphur through a quill into the throat, and after the fungus hid shrunk to allow of it then gare the gargle. He. never lost a patient from diphtheria If a patient cannob gurgle, tike a live coal, qutit on a shovel, and sprinkle a spoonful or two <f flour of 1 rimstone upon it; li-t the Mifferer m hale the fumes, and the fungus will die