Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1880 — Diphtheritic Sore Throat. [ARTICLE]

Diphtheritic Sore Throat.

As diphtheria is one of the most terrible maladies, a person is often startled on being told by his physician that he has diphtheritic sore throat. The diseases, however, are not the same. Neither is the latter a lower type of the former. In diphtheria, while the disease localizes itself in the tonsils—and may extend down through the air passages—there is a general poisoning of the system, which shows itself in a peculiarly depressing fever. In' the diphtheritic sore throat,, the disease is confined to the tonsils and adjacent parte, with only a slight general disturbance. In diphtheria, the exudation which covers the tonsils—and may cover other parte—is of a leather-like consistency (whence the name from the Greek word, diphtheria— leather), and adheres to the substance of the flesh; in diphtheritic sore throat, the exudation is simply a curdle-like matter which is poured out from the glands of the inflamed tonsils. At the first glance, however, it resembles the real leathery exudation of diphtheria. In removing the diphtheritic membrane, the skin is abraded and bleeds; but the removal of the curdy matter from the tonsils is like removing putty from the hand. Diphtheria is always infectious; ordinary diphtheritic sore throat is not. The symptoms of the latter are enlarged tonsils, very red, with spots of cheesy secretion at the mouths of their many glands; cutting pain in swallowing, and some fever for a few days. In most cases, only one tonsil is affected; still, even this may be so enlarged as to materially encroach upon the sauces. The disease is what is now termed “ a filth disease,” and is due to contamination in the water or air. The most frequent source is sewer-gas, from imperfect house drainage.— Youth’s Companion.