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Health Issues
Part Two
This page is quite long but we hope you enjoy the information that you will find within this page. We shall change it monthly for your benefit of learning the different diseases of the Victorian era.
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Diphtherial Disease.
Children are almost exclusively attacked with diphtheria, because it is a disease of debility— a disease which depresses every power of life; hence, the weaker the subject is, the more liable to an attack. An adult has only to maintain himself, the child has to do that and to grow also; hence it has a double call for a constant supply of strength; and a very little deficit in that quality of the air which gives vitality to the blood, is sufficient to make it a fit subject for a diphtheritic attack. The few grown persons who have diphtheria have invariably some scrofulus or other weakening element. Neither a man nor a child in really vigorous health is ever attacked with it; they only suffer who are at the time deficient in stamina— have not the proper resisting power against the inroads of disease.
The three most universally present symptoms of diphtheria in the child are: 1st, general prostration of the whole system; 2d, an instinctive carrying of the hand to the throat; 3d, an offensive breathe.
The treatment is a well-ventilated room, sustaining nourishment, and strengthening remedies.
There is no evidence whatever that diphtheria is “catching.” The matter and breath of it have been introduced into the eyes, lips, mouth, arm, etc., of physicians who have generously hazarded these experiments upon themselves, without the slightest ill effects whatever. When several members of a family are attacked, it is not because it is derived one from another, but because of similarity of constitution, habits of life, eating, drinking, air, and other surroundings. It has not as yet been established that a stranger, going into a family where there is diphtheria, takes the disease.— Journal of Health.
“Diphtheria is now a familiar household word; within a very few years, indeed, it had never been heard of by one in a million of the masses. Its fearfully sudden and fatal character, especially among children, makes it of the highest importance that those, at least, who have families should know something of its nature, its causes, its symptoms, and its cure. By examining a great many who have died of it, some general facts have been ascertained, which are of considerable practical interest. Neither chemistry nor the microscope has yet been able to determine that any particular structure of the body is uniformly invaded; nor have any characteristic lesions or destruction of parts been found. One thing, however, is certain: the whole mass of blood is corrupted, is diseased, is destitute of those elements which are necessary to health; it is of a dark, grumous, ugly appearance, filling up every vein and artery, stagnating everywhere, clogging up the whole machinery of life, oppressing the brain, and arresting the flow of nervous energy in every part of the system. No wonder, then, that it crushes out the life, in a very few hours, of feeble childhood, and of older persons who have but little constitutional force.
“The three most universally present symptoms of diphtheria in the child are: 1st, general prostration of the whole system; 2d, an instinctive carrying of the hand to the throat; 3d, an offensive breath.
“Children are almost exclusively attacked with diphtheria because it is a disease of debility— a disease which depresses every power of life— hence the weaker the subject is, the more liable to an attack. An adult has only to maintain himself, the child has to do that and to grow also; hence it has a double call for a constant supply of strength; and a very little deficit in that quality of the air which gives vitality to the blood, is sufficient to make it a fit subject for a diphtheritic attack. The few grown persons who have diphtheria have invariably some scrofulous or other weakening element. Neither a man nor a child in really vigorous health is ever attacked with it; they only suffer who are at the time deficient in stamina— have not the proper resisting power against the inroads of disease.
“There is no evidence whatever that diphtheria is 'catching.' The matter and breath of it have been introduced in the eyes, lips, mouth, arm, etc., of physicians who have generously hazarded these experiments upon themselves, without the slightest ill effects whatever. When several members of a family are attacked, it is not because it is derived one from another, but because of similarity of constitution, habits of life, eating, drinking, air, and other surroundings. It has not as yet been established that a stranger, going into a family where there is diphtheria, takes the disease.
“The treatment is a well-ventilated room, sustaining nourishment, and strengthening remedies.
“Diphtheria is not inoculable; prevails in every climate, in all seasons, and is equally at home in the princely mansions which line the spacious and well-cleaned street, and in the houses of stenchy courts and contracted alleys. It has no fixed course, may recur any number of times, but only fastens on the scrofulous or those whose constitutions are impaired, or have poor blood; the immediate cause of attack being the breathing of a faulty or defective atmosphere.”
Halls Journal of Health.
Salt Rheumis a disease of the blood; it is an effort of nature to push out of the system, through the skin, that which if retained would work mischief; hence any external application calculated to heal it up or drive it in, is unnatural, unwise, and mischievous under all circumstances.— There is only one safe general rule as to breakings out on the skin, and that is consult the family physician at once. The next best plan is, keep warm in bed in a cool, well ventilated room, drinking warm teas into which has been broken the crust of cold wheaten bread. This is the safest, the best and most efficient course of treatment for all “breakings out” on the skin. All external applications are uncertain, worthless or injurious, as far as skin affections are concerned, except so far as they tend to keep the skin soft, moist, and natural. Nothing does these things so uniformly and so well as lukewarm water, or milk and water, half and half. A little grease from a candlestick was advised to be applied to a little pimple on the child of Judge N.; it began at once to inflame, and death ensued in twenty-four hours.”— Dr. Hall's Journal.
References:
Godey's Lady's Book; November, 1863; Vol LXVII Page 481; Philadelphia, PA
Godey's Lady's Book; February, 1865; Vol LXX Page 187; Philadelphia, PA
Godey's Lady's Book; October, 1865; Vol LXXI Page 360; Philadelphia, PA
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