REMEDIES FOR DIPHTHERIA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1356, 23 June 1885, Page 3

REMEDIES FOR DIPHTHERIA.

Kuth Lockwood, tbe nine-year-old child qi Thomas Lockwood, a compositor in the Times office became violently ill with diphtheria on Tuesday night. She was so weak that it was deemed dangerous to tracheotomy, or cutting open the windpipe. On Thursday Dr Nichols, of 117 West Washington place, who was attending her, received a copy of the Paris Figaro, which contained a report made to the French Academy of Medicines by Dr Delthil. DrDelthil said that the vapors of liquid tar and turpentine would dissolve the fibrous exudation which choke up the throat in croup and diphtheria. Dr Delthil's process . was described. He pours equal parts of turpentine and liquid tar into a tin pan or cup and sets fire to the mixture. A dense resinous smoke arises, which obscures the air of the room. "The patient," Dr Delthil says, "immediately seems to experience relief ; the choking and rattle atop ; the patient falls into a slumber, and seems to inhale the smoke with pleasure. The fibrinous membrane soon becomes detached and the patient coughs up microbicides. These, when caught in a glass may be seen to dissolve in the smoke. In the course of three days afterwards the patient entirely recovered. Dr Nichols tried this treatment with little Kuth Lockwood. She was lying gasping for breath when he visited her. First pouring about two table-spoonfuls of liquefied tar on an iron pan, he poured as much turpentine over it and set it on fire. The rich resinous smoke which rose to the ceiling was by no means unpleasant. As it filled the room, the child's breathing became natural; and as the smoke grew dense she fell asleep.—New York Sun. The following is re-printed from the Hobart Town Mercury of November 12th in the hope that it may be of service to many in the event of an attack of the above most dangerous malady:—A few years ago, when diphtheria was raging in "England, a gentleman accompanied the celebrated Dr. Field on his rounds to witness the so-called "wonderful cures" which he performed while the patients of others were dropping on all sides. The remedy, to be so rapid, must be simple; all he took with him was flour of sulphur and a quill, and with this he cured every patient without exception. He put a teaspoonful of flour of brimstone into a wineglass of water, and stirred it with his finger instead of a spoon, as the sulphur does not readily amalgamate with water. When the sulphur was well mixed, he gave it as a gargle, and in ten minute 3 the patient was out of danger. Instead of spitting out the gargle, he recommended the swallowing of it. In extreme cases, in which he had just been called in the nick of time, when the fungus was too nearly closing to allow the gargling he blen the sulphur through a quill into the throat, and after the fungus had shrunk to allow of it, then gave the gargle. He never lost a patient from diphtheria. If a patient cannot gargle, take alive coal, put it on a shovel, and sprinkle a spoonful or two of flour of brimstone upon it; let the sufferer inhale the fumes, and the fungus will die.—