Pathology and treatment of the infectious diseases / by Karl Liebermeister ; translated by E.P. Hurd, with notes and appendices.

Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pathology and treatment of the infectious diseases / by Karl Liebermeister ; translated by E.P. Hurd, with notes and appendices. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    This was proved by some striking experiments per- formed by Home, in 1758: these experiments have since then been frequently repeated, with this singular cir- cumstance, however, attending them, that the outbreak of measles thereby determined was always of a benign character. Generally the infection is derived by direct association with a diseased person, or by the inter- mediation of objects or of persons that have been con- taminated by immediate contact. The air may also be the vehicle of contagion, but within a very re- stricted area. It is during the periods of invasion and eruption that the contagion has its highest degree of activity. The gravity of the disease varies with epidemics. Thus very benign epidemics have been observed, while others have been distinguished by their severity. Climate and local conditions seem to have no influence on the development of epidemics which are, however, more prevalent in cold weather than in warm. In most countries, epidemics generally reappear at more or less remote intervals, without there being, however, any regular periodicity in their return. It Is probable that these epidemic outbreaks are dependent chiefly on this fact that at the end of a certain time new generations come upon the stage susceptible to the disease, and presenting in their organisms a favor- able culture soil for the germs of the disease. Instances are on record where the disease has been pandemic, spreading to all parts of the habit-