Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-07-24
Pneumonia and the Kinks.

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DR. John r. Nagle, registrar of vital
statistics in the health department,
was asked whether roller skating was
responsible for the recent great increase
in the number of deaths from pneumO-
MIA in this city. He said: There has
never been SO large a proportion of
deaths from pneumonia as we have
had recently | speak now particular
~ of pneumonia a. primary cause OF
death. The statistics are carefully pre-
pared, so as 20 separate the deaths
from pneumonia as a primary cause
from the deaths where pneumonia is
the result of some other diseS n hi
a startling fact that the Hcatbs from
pneumonia last week WIRE 20 per cent
of the total mortality End reached the
alarming number of149. The week
before, of the 776 deaths in the city,
there were l42 from pneumonia. ~
the usual course of events | expected
decrease last week and was aston
ished to- find an increase. In the week
before the last | have named there
were 1872 deaths from pneumonia. In
February this disease carried off $40
victims, and in January 1876. There
was no month last year in which there
was any near approach TO these figures.
There have been several weeks this
year i'm which the deaths from pneumo-
MIA have been greater than in some of
the months of last year.
I'm looking for the cause of this in
crease of pneumonia it is but natural
to think of roller skating. OF course
have no means of tracing these 149
Il L.. 8 l., Il
We had deaths by pneumonia before
there was any roller skating. But |
can say with certainty that such ex-
posture as the roller skating mania pro-
duccs is likely to produce pneumonia.
Here are, say, 10000 young people 90
ing every night to skating Kinks or
balls They indulge in violent exercise
in heated rooms and then go out into
the chilly air possibly thinly clad and
the result is fatal Inflammation of the
lungs.
1T must be remembered that roller
skating is a very vigorous exercise, and
induces profuse perSpiration and ia
tiguc. Under such conditions people
are most likely to take cold. Many of
the participants doubtless perform this
vigorous labor in addition TO a hard
days work, and they render them
stlvcs more liable TO disease"
"Pncumonia is emphatically win-f
ter disease. People go from the heated
rooms to the cold streets, and unless
they are well protected from the
weather the sudden change becomes
injurious. You may see people, young
people especially, at this time of the
year rushing the season, as the saying
is. They are anxious to display their
spring attire before the spring comes.
The fashions of light cutaway coats for
men and decollette dresses for women
have much to do with the spread of the
pneumonia"
Those who have visited the skating
Kinks have observed how careless the
young people are of the weather. They
dash about for hours in the heated
rooms, and when the time comes TO GO
home they find the cool air rather re-
freshing than otherwise. They find the
cars crowded, perhaps, and walk
through the chilly streets while vet >
perspiring from their violent exercise
All this tends to pneumonia. A little
roller skating or dancing might be
hcalthful. but it should he under prop
err precautionary conditions. The ex-
erciSe should not be too, protracted or
violent. The dress should be appro-
pirate, and the changes of dress should
conform to the changes of temperature.
A young woman who should 90 into the
open air in her ball dress after vigor-
ously dancing would be considered
very indiScreet Yet the change is
quite rs marked when young girls
skate for hours in street costumes and
then GO out over heated without
,Io,r,