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Patea Mail, 19 December 1881, Page 3

DISEASE at NEW PLYMOUTH.

Dxi’THERiA, a very old disease, has been properly recognised and classified only during the present century. It is now so prevalent, in New Plymouth that some of the schools are to be closed. Dr Gibbes, in an interesting letter addressed to the Herald, says that the affection in question is due to a vegetable parasite, which developes first in the windpipe, and finally causes a general blood-poisoning. His treatment is to make the patient inhale steam arising from water in which are placed leaves of the blue gum. This is a thoroughly scientific treatment, for it is extremely probable that, just as carbolic acid kills the bacterium which causes ordinary putrefaction in meat, so the essential oil of Eucalyptus may act as a specific poison to the micrococcus which (according to Dr Gibbes) causes diptheria. The question of course is, will the results in practice finally justify Dr Gibbes in departing from the old remedies ? The question is so important that we think some official enquiry should be made, with a view to communicating the new treatment (if successful) to the medical world at home.