Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-05-13
The Most DeadlYDIsease.

from which the people of the o.
nlted States are to-day suffering
is pneumonia. There are not
less than $4,000 cases at. this
hour in the city of New York
alone. Many are nearly down
with it who do not suspect it,
andsthese can bring it ON by a
singlesactot. indiscretion. leu
minutes on a street corner in the
cold wird; glass of brandy or
whisky; late hours and expos
5 ure at night; an evening ina bad
j ly ventilated church or theater.
any of these may permit the lat
ent disease to manifest itself.
The disease attacks the lungs.
butts not, as generally supposed,
a speciessof hasty consumption.
There is very little expectora-
ton in pneumonia, and in many
cases none at all. The cold set
ties on the lungs, the air passa-
ges fill up with mucus, and death
is due to the impossibility of
breathing, or to the weakness
WHICH the disease brings on, as
cautious dieting is necessary.
When the trouble in the lungs
is overcome, the patient is often
left in so low a condition that it
is impossible to make him rally.
It is a rather singular phase of
this deadly disease that the per-
centage of cases is as four to
one in favor of men. Women
very seldom suffer from it. This
may be due to the greater ex-
pOsure to which men are sub
jected, and the more sedenta-
ry life of women, who do not
suffer from such constant chan
ges and suchshocks to the lungs.
The best preventative against
pneumonia is to keep the mouth
closed when going from hot
place to a cold, aud breathe
through the nose. It comes like
a flash Of lightning; there is no
preparation or means of avert
ing it. One may go. to bed
healthy, to all appearances, and
wake up with the disease in full
blast. Then It is simply a ques-
ton of constitution. Medical
skill avails but little, and phg-
sicians pursue butone COURSE
to keep the patient in, warm,
equal temperature; to give. REM
edies as much as possible TO
clear the lungs, and to seek to
keep up the proper animal heat.
The patient ordinarily partly
loses consciousness on the third
day, and the crisis is reached
on the seventh. IF not dead
then, there is a small chance Of
recovery, and all depends on
the strength of the patient.
Pneumonia is far more fatal
with us than it was years ago.
We may attribute the increased
mortality from this disease to a
multitude of cases. AIeofol
gives the disease more victim;
than all else. Other causes. are
steam-heating DEVICES, bad ven
and tobacco smoke
The devitalized heat Of the
steam pipes is most injurious to
the lungs. The action of the
heat OH the iron coils sends off
a deleterious gas, which seri-
Ously impairs the lungs, and
rerders the Inhalation OF cold
air positively dangerous. To-
baccO smoke dries up the mucus
membrane Of the throat and air
passages, and dispels their heal
thy action. Alcohol destroys
the power of the stomach, and
so lessons vitality that a simple
''cold" speedily becomes pneu-
monia. These causes--added
to the absurd custom of bund-
ling up the throat while leaving
the feet nearly without pfotec-
tion-are sufficient to account
for the enormous mortality from
this disease.-HaJES Journal of
Health. +-..