Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-01-10
What Pneumonia Is,

From November to May every one
occasionally is shocked by the unex-
p1Cted announcement of the compare
lively sudden death of some acquaint-
ance or friend from pneumonia. These
events have naturally enough made q
marked impression on many, and those
not well informed are heard to speak of
''ammonia on the lungs" in a way
which at once makes it plain that the
gravity of this affection, at least, is well
known. Doubtless all have some idea
of the location and work of the lungs,
and many also know, perhaps, that
by pneumonia those organs are serious
~ embarrassed. Now. those who know
this much can quickly obtain rational
ideas of pneumonia by studying
for a moment the arrangement and
work of the lungs. Thes organs &C.
cupy the greater part of the cavity of
the chest. Their position can be pretty
accurately indicated as follows: Upon
the body draw two perpendicular lines,
beginning about the middle of the neck
and ending at the bottom of the sixth
rib of each side. from these points
draw lines to the most prominent point
of each side of the body, ending at the
top of the ninth rib. Now join the lines
here Indicated by diagonal lines. In
the triangular spaces here described
within the chest the lungs are located.
BY tapping lightly upon thinly cover
ed human chest a peculiar note is pro-
duced. By placing the ear upon the
CT est-wali certain sounds are heard
within. These sounds are of great
value to physicians in determining the
existence of pneumonia and other lung
affections.
The lungs are composed of arteries,
veins, nerves and air passages. These
last are extensions of the wind-pipe and
bronchial tubes. An inverted apple
tree, the trunk branches and fruit of
which have been followed out, leaving
only the bark Of the trunk and branches
of the tree and the stem and skin of the
apples. would indicate fairly well the
arrangement of the passages in the
lungs. These are normally filled with
air and on their terminal dilItations,
represented by the kollowed-out apples,
the arteries of the lungs are distributed
in a network of small blood vessels.
Here oxygen passes by diffusion from
the air into the blood and here carbonic
acid passes in similar manner from
the blood into the air. 81
An inherited tendency to lung COM
plants, and like tendencies to gout and
rheumatism and general constitutional
debility, are fifty reckoned predisposing
causes of pneumonia. Malarial poison
ing is often coincident with pneumonia
and some would connect this condition
in some way with the causation of the
lung trouble. Whoopingcough,m measles,
smallpox and bronchitis also predis-
pose to rneumonia; indeed, the two last
named diseases, a:e coincident. Pneu-
monia subsequent to any of these atfec-
tons is correctly termed secondary
pneumonia" An opinion is very ex-
3ensiveiy and probably correctly enter
tanned that exposure to sudden and
great falls OF temperature. especially il
there be much moisture in the air. is a
very usual exciting cause of pneumonia
The inevitable microscopic fungus. the
s'bacilIus pneumonia" is also credited
with being active in the causation of the
disease.
A notable proportion of all the cases
of pneumonia are reeeded by chill
Just here word concerning the me
chanism of chill would very much helI
to make plain the nature OF this disease
In various parts of the body, notably
the skin and lungs, there are many
smsu arteries; these are elastic tubes
Bya number of circumstances these
tubes are caused to contract. Undue
exposure to low temperature is yer,
active in the production of this arteria
contraction. and it is much more prone
to take, place in feeble than in roous
persons. When the arteries here re
ferrcd to are contracted to their smalles
diameter the containing capacity OF thu