ERYSIPELAS POISON.

Patea Mail, 17 February 1882, Page 3

ERYSIPELAS POISON.

In illustration of the clinging nature of erysipelas poison, Dr. Louis Henry, of Collins street, Melbourne, records an instance of the virulent nature of the disease which came under his personal notice. Some years ago the hospital at Leipsic became thoroughly permeated with the poison from this disease, and in consequence of the high rate of mortality the fiat went forth from the medical authorities that the whole building should be demolished forthwith. A new building was erected on the pavilion system and the most approved modern scientific principles. Great stress was laid on the question of ventilation. The new institution was built on piles or pillars, so as to ensure a free and uninterrupted current of air passing underneath the whole structure. Notwithstanding that every means which modern science could suggest were adopted to cope with this formidable pest of hospitalism, erysipelas, and the kindred evil, pycomia, were again prevalent in the new building. The medical authorities of the hospital tried in vain to solve this problem, until one day the head surgeon, Professor Thirsch, conceived the idea of looking what was underneath the building. He discovered a quantity of furniture from the old hospital which, in a fit of economy, the city fathers, had foreborneto destroy, and had stowed away under the new building so as to be conveniently at hand should it be required. It was found that those articles were thoroughly saturated with the poison of erysipelas, and on their being destroyed this most formidable pest gradually disappeared from the hospital.