Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1892 — WHAT TYPHUS FEVER IS. [ARTICLE]

WHAT TYPHUS FEVER IS.

Its Origin, Symptoms, Treat**' at and Ratio of Fatality. Typhus fever is called by various names. Spotted fever and jail, ship, hospital, putrid, or pestilential fever are all the same. It has been dreaded for hundreds of years as an epidemic pestilence, and Is especially dangerous to persons advanced in years. The mortality in children under fifteen years old sick with typhus is 5 per oent.; in persons over fifty years old, the mortality is set at 46 per cent. The average mortality is 18 per cent. It has appeared in all parts of the world, but is more to be dreaded iu temperate oi cold climates. The main predisposing cause of typhus is a low health rate. Where population is dense and sanitary conditions are bod tho danger is greatest, and these conditions obtain not only in crowded oities, but in armies afield, in prisons, end wherever human beings are packed too closely. The belief used to be current that such conditions only were neoessary to create the disease, but it is now thought that a specific germ must enter tho human system before the diseaso oan develop. No typhus germ hasevor been actually discovered, although several distinguished physicians have believed for tho time that the discovery had been made, but tho presumption is muoh against typhus appearing from the beginning without the entrance of a living organism. i’he oourso of typhus covers a period of about fourteen days from inception to crisis, of which the longest stage is that of incubutiou, from the inoeption of tho poison into tho systom to the first manifestation of special evidenoe of the disease. No special symptoms mark this stuge, oxcopt a general lassitude. Tho invasion ot tho fever is the second stage, and tho symptoms are of rigornnd of prolonged chills oombinod with distressing huadacho and inability to sleep. High fever soon develops, und tho pulse, at first full but afterward feeble, is rapid, tho boats ranging from 100 to 120 or more. Tho height of "the fover is usually reached about tho soventh day, when iu favorable cusos a drop of 1 degree from the maximum (103 to 105 degrees) is often noted. If this subsidonoe does not oomn tho case is usually sovoro. The tongue is brown and dry, tho teeth are coated, and tho patient has no appetito, but an intense thirst. The bowols ure usually constipated. The third or stugo of erruntion is marked by tho appearance of dark red blotches upon tho abdomen, sides, limbs, und buck, und sometimes on the face. This is Usually uooompuulod by a faint mottling of tho whole surfuco. The patient's headache and general discomfort lessen with the appearance of the eruption. but, this is partly ohargoablo to the typhus stupor wfilch comes at this point, In which the patient either lies on his buck, with a dusky countenance, or is dolirious both night and day. The delirium is generally shown by low mutterings, but sometimes by maniacal wildness. Tho orisis, or fuvorable change, comes aboot'thu fourteenth d iy, and is marked by an abrupt fall of temperature, the return of moisture to the tongue, and by returning intolligenco. The patient is loft very weak, but recovery Is rapid. The treatment of typhus starts with oompleto isolation and continual watching. The main itoin is good nursing, but tho bust posslblo ventilation anil clounsing of tho slok chamber are immediately secondary. Food should be givon with absolute regularity, and the putiont should not be suffered to full into too deep a stupor. Individual oases develop special treatment. Cold applications and tepid baths are favored by some authorities, Aloohollo stimulants aro rarely neoessary except to prevent collnpso.—[Nuw York Timos.