CURE FOR DIPHTHERIA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 375, 25 June 1880, Page 17

CURE FOR DIPHTHERIA.

A correspondent who has used the following remedy assures U3 C Clarence Examiner) that it is a certain cure in all esses of diphtheria :— Decoction of common sage leaf ; a handful of leaves thrown into a half pint of boiling water and left to draw, richly sweetened with honey, and given by teaspoonful as warm as possible. The same preparation, with the addition of vinegar, to be used as a gargle and the steam of the sage tea inhaled by means of a funnel. A strip of flannel dipped in hot water and turpentine (say a tablespoonful of turpentine to a pint of hot water) must be applied externally with sufficient covering to keep in the steam, and castor oil or any other aperient invariably administered. This remedy has never been known to fail when used promptly on the first appearance of the disease, and was applied with success in every case twenty years ago in England by the party sending this to us. If it would be of any use, I will send the symptoms. If the sage cannot be procured, a small piece of saltpetre, about the size of a hazel nut may be put to a half pint of vinegar, and used as a gargle the outward application of the turpentine being indispensable. If the patient who is attacked be too young to gargle, the throat must be cleansed by means of a sponge tied to a quill or stick dipped in the vinegar, &c. I hope all parents will copy this out, for I have proved its efficacy in a great many cases, and by trying these simple remedies at the first appearance of diphtheria, much suffering may be prevented and perhaps death.

The " gift account " of St. Botolph Without, Bishopsgate, affords a very good instance of how charitable wealth of the City of London has been for many years squandered. According to an analysis presented to the City Parochial Charities Commission, an expenditure of £21,509 17s. Bd. is accounted for in this very remarkable manner : Management cost, £7067 23. 3d. ; entertainments, £1066 19s. lid. ; legal charges, £3327 19s. 9d. ; and extraordinary unexplained items, £10,047 15s, 9d. These figures speak for themselves. One thousand pounds spent on entertainments that should have been devoted to charity would have been bad enough in all conscience, but ten thousand pounds that cannot be even explained away is worse than was expected even with regard to city charities. Bat the beginning of the end is evidently coming.