St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-05-18

1t Is not well to get up Il panic about
pneumonia without pointing out some
of its causes and remedies. Among its
most common CAUSES are cold and wet,
aided 10y thin undertaking, either by
night or day. or both, thin shoes and
stockings, etc. 1t is surprising to find
how many men and women wear thin
Undertaking 10y day and only one
thin garment at night. and that often
of linen, while cold linen sheets are
not uncommon even in midwimtcr.
Many severe colds and pneumonia are
prevented 10y attention to these simple
matters, and many are cured by mere
ly putting on an extra garment at
night, even flannel sack, and sleep
ing between thick, warm muslin or thin
flannel sheets. These are also the first
precautions which should he taken
when attacked by pneumonia, and
many Il valuable life i lost 10y inatten-
ton to them. 1t is well known that in
the young and healthy acute pneumO-
MIA 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 10y far the majority of cas-
Is where pneumonia is found, we gen
orally discover some pre-eXisting and
more chronic disease in some other or
gan of the body; it may he the heart
| liver, kidneys, bowels, etc. In fatal
l Il
/ find pncumnniaand say the paticntdicd
of it, but We should also learn why
| that particular person Succumhcd to IT.
an inquiry too often forgotten and
| Slurrcd over. Sometimes the intensity
of the pneumonia is very great and
sufficient to account for death but
sometimes neither the extent nor Sc
verify of the attack Sutlices to make
clear the cause of the fatal result
| Then we have To look for some obscure
disease of the head, or chronic disease
of the stomach, bowels, liver or kid
news which has not received the attcn-
| ton which it deserved. These diSor-
/ derS also often interfere with the action
of the remedies especially adapted to
relieve pneumonia.
]
! foul-air pneumonias, caused by over
| heated, badly ventilated houses, will
or without subsequent exposure t.
very cold outdoor air. Bad plumbing
| foul street. gutter. sewer and dock air
especially 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 cpl
/ demic. and the converse of this is true
viz: when slight or severe or malig-
nant colds are contracted from the in
halatiou of foul air during thawine
weather, and the patient, being not YET
/ quite sick enough to stay in the house
is exposed to one of those severe colo
snaps or billiards which have prevail
ed this winter perhaps more frequently
and suddenly than is common. Many
other diseases. like measles, rheuma.
tism, typhoid fever, etc, are often fol
lowed by pneumonia, especially wheI
the bed and body clothing are no
warm enough. All those with con
sumptive tendency should bc especial
/ " careful. and it is well known tina
MANY surgical cases are followed 10y
pyTmic or septicumic pneumonia. II
fact, if we find pneumonia i'll the form
of small, isolated patches, we must re
member that it is always secondary t,
some other disease. In short, pneu
monia is the attendant by natural ter
mination of many other diseases, an,
l. apt to Ice considered a. the principa
disorder. whereas it was secondary
but most dangerous complication.