The Newberry Herald

Farm, Garden & Household.

OCTOBER.

TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA.

To the Editor of the Tribune:

[Fragmentary start: HAND. of the rich, cleanly and judicious.]

good food, even if it have to be begged, should be procured. Any really

full of milk.

Beef tea, soup or milk should be
taken frequently, and in as large
quantities as the stomach will bear
and digest without danger of causing
disgust or nausea.

If stimulants are required, and
they are generally wanted early
and abundantly, milk punch is the
best; but it should always be made
with the addition of soda or lime
water to the milk for the reasons
above stated.

If milk punch becomes distaste-
ful, barley water, rice water, arrow
root, &c., may be used as a bland
vehicle for administering stimu-
lants.

Then of all the remedies that a
long experience (over 30 years) has
proved eminently reliable, chlorate
of potash is the best; but it should
be given in one way only, and also
thoroughly. It should be given
dry upon the tongue, pure, not
mixed with sugar, and not in solu-
tion. By giving it in this way
it dissolves slowly in the mouth and
gradually and efficiently comes in
contact with all the diseased part
of the throat.

It is slightly disagreeable at first;
but the youngest child soon be-
comes accustomed to it. It takes
away the supposed necessity for
forced local applications to the
throat, and if the little patient be
taught to open its mouth widely,
without straining, and to draw in
its breath deeply at the same time,
the curtain of the palate will be
drawn up, and the whole back part
of the throat, down to the wind-
pipe, will be exposed to view, with-
out the use of any harsher means
to obtain a view of the parts in-
volved by the disorder.

This treatment must be persisted
in, the chlorate of potash being
given in doses of two, three, five or
more grains every hour at first, un-
til some decided improvement com-
mences, or for one, two, three, or
even more days, without hesitation:
or faltering. Often no apparent
improvement seems to take place
for one, two, or more days; some-
times not until nearly up to the
fourth day. But courage and per-
severance will almost certainly be
rewarded with success; certainly
four or five times out of six.

This treatment is considerate
but efficient; the child never be-
comes afraid of its physician or at-
tendants; and generally with a lit-
tle management, takes or does all
that is required of it, because its
handling is always gentle, or at
least not harsh or distressing.

If the debility be very great mu-
riate tincture of iron may be re-
quired. If the mouth be dry, gly-
cerine may be put into it frequent-
ly.

It may be true that in the most
destitute, filthiest, and careless
classes the beginning of diphtheria
may be the beginning of death,
but I am very sure that a vast num-
ber of lives can be saved by the
treatment above indicated.

J. C. P.

New York, Sept. 8, 1874.