Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-25
A Doctor On Pneumonia.
T rom the New York Times

From the New York Times
1t is not well to get up panic about pneumo-
MIA without pointing out some of it's causes and
remedies. Among its most common causes are
cold and wet, aided by thin underclothing, either
by night or day or both, thin shoes and stockings
etc. 1t is surprising to find how many men and
women wear thin undercothing by day and only
one thin undergarmcnt at night, and that often
of linen, while cold linen sheets are not uncom-
mon, even In mdwnter. Many severe colds
and pneumonia are prevented by attention to
these simple matters. and many are cured by
merely putting on an extra garment at night
even flannel sack and sleeping between thick,
warm muslin or thin flannel Sheets These are
also the first precautions which should be taken
when attacked by pneumonia. and many valtl-
able life is lost by inattentiOn to them. 1t is
we'll known that in the young and healthy acute
pneumonia is less fatal than in those who are
otherwise not healthy or strong. and those more
advanced in life. This would suggest that the
deterioration, not only of the lungs but of the
other great vital organs. withdraws such aid as
they could otherwise afford when they are fresh
and vigorous.
In fact, In by far the majority of cases where
pneumonia is found. we generally discover some
pre-eXisting and more chronic disease in some
other organ of the body; it may be the heart,
liver, kidneys, bowels. etc In fatal cases it is
not enough that we should find pneumonia and
say the patient died Of it, but we should also
learn why that particular person succumbed to
it, an inquiry too Otter forgotten and slurred
over. Sometimes the intensity of the pneumo-
MIA is very great and sufficient to account for
death; but sometimes neither the extent nor Sc
verify of the attack sufices to make clear the
cause OF the fatal result. Then we may have to
look for some obscure disease of the head. or
chronic disease of the stomach bowels liver or
kidneys. which has not received the attention
which it deserved. These disorders also often
interfere with the action of the remedies es-
peciatly adapted TO relieve pneumonia.
Then there are the great so-called foul air
pneumonias. caused by overheated. badly venti-
lated houses. with or without subsequent expo
sure to very cold outdoor air Bad plumbing
foul street gutter, sewer and dock air. espec-
tally the bad air In the tenement house districts
make many colds and pneumonias malignant.
The sudden occurrence of warm spell of
weather when the streets and yards are loaded
with filth will almost create an epidemic, and
the converse OF this Is true-viZ when slight or
the inhalation of foul air during thawing
weather. and the patient, being not
yet quite sick enough to stay in the
house, is exposed to one of those severe
cold snaps or billiards. which have prevailed
this winter perhaps more frequently and sud-
denly than is common Many other diseases.
Ike measles, rheumatism. typhoid fever. etc,
are often followed by pneumonia, especially
when the bed and body clothing are not warm
enough. All those with consumptive tendency
should be especially careful, and it is well
known that many surgical cases are followed
by pyGmic or septic@mic pneumonia. In fact,
If we find pneumonia in the form of small
Isolated patches, we must remember that it is
always secondary to some other disease. In
short. pneumonia is the attendant by natural
termination of many other diseases and is ant
to be considered as the principal disorder
whereas 1t was secondary but most dangerous
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