The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-02
WHY IPNRUN0NTA IS PREVA
LENT

ADN
New York Tribune: Pneumonis, as
everybody knows, is extremely preva-
lent, and many guesses are made at the
cause OF this, some thinking that unusu-
ally rapid and extensive changes in the
temperature are responsible, while others
blame the roller skating rlnks. But
there ought not 10 be much doubt as to
the cause of pneumonia among New
Workers. Of course the climate is pri-
marilY accountable, but general reck-
less disregard of the commonest of COM
mon sense in the way of precaution is
the direct incItement. Nobody who
takes the trouble to use his eyes in walk
ing the streets can hesitate as
to the explanation of the
prevalence OF pneumonia and all kinds
of pulmonary disease. The people
seem to take pleasure in defying the
weather. They go about with thin spring
overcoats on when the mercury is many
degrees below the freezing point. They
wear warm clothing all through the day,
and when night comes, and with it fall
of temperature, they put on evening
dress; that is, they change winter for
summer garments in effect. and then
they expose themselves to all kinds of
draughts, No doubt roller skating has
something to do with the prevalence of
pneumonia, but the general habits OF
New Workers have a great deal more to
| do with it.
People who dress senslbly and with
due regard to the state of the weather
rarely take pneumonia. They can go out
in the coolest weather without danger
because they take care of their lungs and
do not expose themselves to chills. There
is no climate which requires more care.
full dressing than this, and there is no
city having SO uncertain q climate In
which the people do not take better care
of themselves. 1t is quite comm on here
to see women walking on cold days
without any wraps on. They may be
seen with mere jerseys on sometimes
when the mercury is nearly at zero. And
the young men are just as fool
ish. They seem to think
that il Is unmanlY to wear sufficient
clothing, and SO about looking blue
with cold, and running the risk of con
gestlOn of the lungs and long train Of
serious or fatal complaints. Nor is II
the unfoTtunates who cannot afford
warm clothes who thus expose them
selves, but wellto-do people, in many
cases business men who pretend to them
selves that they are too busy to attend tc
little matters of that kind No man who
has not sense enough 20 guard his
health, upon which his entire usefulness
either to himself or others depends, car
call himself practical or q wise man
and it is not to the credit of the New
York people that they fail to pay due
attention to considerations of SO vitality
important q nature.
We all know that our climate II
changeable, and therefore We ought II
be prepared fo- its changes. To be saf'
from ppneumonia during the winter
warm clothing must be worn contin-
ually. If the dictates Of fashion requiru
people to risk their lives by putting oil
utterly unreasonable dress, thos'
who think it necessary to en-
counter UGH dagger Ger.
tainly put a very low estimate on thei
own lives, and can not complain if other
take them at their own valuation. Blu
sensible men and women will tax
proper care of themselves, and anon
them pneumonia is not now, nor is /
likely TO be, prevalent.