The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-23
ABOUT PNEUMONIA.
The Disease Defined as Inflammation of the
Lungs-Treat the Patient in the Old Way.

The Disease Defined as Inflammation of the
Lungs-Treat the Patient in the Old WAY.
New York World.
Dr. Alexander B. Mott said at his residence,
No. 62 Madison avenue, last evening" that pneu-
monia prevailed to startling extent in New
York, and that it comprised a large percentage
of the total sickness in the city.
''How do you define pneumonia he was
asked
'It is nothing more nor less than old-fashioned
Inflammation of the lungs" said he "Pneumo-
MIA is simply the technical term for infamma-
ton of the lungs and the idea that it is anything
more than that is a mistaken one.n
"How sufferers affectedg
Differently. Persons in some instances do
not know they have it until it is far advanced
until great deal of congestion is produced. AS
general rule it comes on with a chill Then
fever, of course follows When in1amed the air
cells do not act ard the lungs become useless
Pains in the chest, or they may be in the back
or side, often attributed to neuralgia rheu-
matism when they turn out to proceed from
pneumonia"
Are both lungs always affectedq'
mo The inflammation may be in only one
lung, or in one part-the upper, middle or lower
lobe-of one lung"
'What are the best measures to adopt to avoid
pneumonia
1.-THE best precaution is to avoid sudden
changes of temperature and to see that the body
is properly clothed. a person should keep out
of drafts and damp, cold places. Damp ground
should be avoided There is great danger in
going to funerals and remaining on damp newly
thrown-up earth. Clear cold weather, if the
body is properly clad, will not bring on pneu-
menia, but sudden changes will"
"In case of pneumonia, what ought to be
done9"
"a good, old-fashioned practitioner should be
sent for. No new-fangled notions should be
tried. Treat the patient in the old way. and he
will get well, in most cases at least The old
fashioned treatment is active treatment
The things to do are to stop
the Inflammation and relieve the fever
and arrest the progress of the disease
There should be no delay Not only is pneu-
monia prevalent in New York but it is fatal to a,
great extent Why that is so is something of
mystery to me- 1 think the majority of the
cases ought to recover. If physician is called
in the early stages there is every reason to be-
lieve that the inflammation can be arrested If
the case is allowed to go on the lungs will get
into state of soldifcation--not total, but semi
qualification. Imperfect drainage has nothing
to do with pneumonia That is popular de-
fusion that prevails to some extent"
'Are stout persons more subject to pneumonia
than thin persons"
mo. That is another popular delusion. 1t
makes no difference whether person is stout or
thin. l presume it is a fact that more stout per-
sons have pneumonia than thin ones. Stout
persons as rule do not feel the cold as much as
thin ones, and they are more liable to expose
themselves without sufficient protection. That
is the explanation. The thin man gets cold
quickest, and goes for an extra coat People
should be careful about drafts after getting into
perspiration."