Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-02-06
COMMUNICATED.
The signs OF Pneumonia.

COMMUNICATED.
The Signs OF Pneumonia.
! Pneumonia means inflammation o. the
lungs: and is far more common in the tenn
perate than in either the torrd or frigid
zones. The time of its greatest prevalence
is during the winter season, when the air is
cold and damp, end attended with north
and north east winds.
Persons predisposed to disease OF the lungs
are much more liable to the disease than
! those who sre not so predisposed but 1t
often attacks the most healthy and robust.
The most important Invitation TO an attack
of the disease ls an Inadequate supply of
clothing during the time of an exposure TO e
spell OF cold damp weather. During the
continuance of such weather the body should
be we'll protected by flannel worn nezt to
the skin anI when the flannel under
clothes become damp, OF wet with perspira-
! tion, they should at once be changed for dry
ones, and DO person, during the winter
season, should allow his erspiration.wetted
underclotbes to dry upon his body but
should, as soon So the cause or exercise
which excited undue preparation ceases
change his wet or damp clothing for dry.
This should bs done at once, and not de-
ferred for it is far easier, and takes much
lesa line to change wet underclothing for
dry than TO escape Or recover from an attack
of Inflammation OF the lungs. Dry under
clothing and dry, Tarcl feet are exceedingly
important in tho rules for thu pre-
vention of pneumonia; and should an indie
viduel at any time during the winter feel
his feet cold, and his understanding, by their
| dampness, communicate 10 his body feeling
of chlliiness, be owes it at once to the pres
ervaton of his health to change hia under
clothing end thereby get his sSin warm and
drv as soon as possible. This is easily at.
aimed. and the skin is readily induced to
! assume natural condition if the change of
clothing is Immediately followed by drink.
| ing cup or two Of hot soup, tee. coffee, or
milk. On no account should drinks con
! tanning liquor be taken, for the beneficial
| effect Of hot drinks is rendered nugatory by
the presence Of alcohol, which oyerdoe5 the
object by frat exciting and then Immediate
| y depressing the nervous system, thereby
! diminishing the natural resistance Of the
physical powers TO overcome The invasive
| force of an impending disease. The COM
mon belief is that potations OF alcoholic
| liquors will stop or prevent cold. but Of
| all popular beliefs it is the most faliacious,
for no habit, like that of intemperance. SO
readily invites 8u attack OF pneumonla du--
ing the continuance of cold, damp weather,
with northeast winds. ibis is fact not
generally recognized, and an individual who
is not drinking man has three 'ime5 bet'
ter chauca to recover from an attacs ofpneu
monja than one who is ap habitual drinker,
for the lungs of all drinking men are always
! kept eugorged with blood by the exciting
I "a ~ oIo fir in oynasu nT beslrhU u
standard: and consequently, drinking men
a5e never without n cough. When the lungs
| are in this unnatural state of engagement,
they arc lnost apt TO receive the causes CT
their inflammation with great readiness and
| fatality. Any ordinary mind can suggest
the use Of alcohol in the prevention or
treatment Of disease; but it requires the
h:gcest order of discernment to tel! whether
or not IN any given case Of sickness, or
treatment of sickness, it will DO most good
or hafm.
Toe approach of pneumonia is not always
without warning. There are usually GER
tam feelings or sensations of the body which
| tell with greater or less certainty, that an
attack is beginning. An individual for a
day or TWO prior to the actual invasion of
the disease, feels badly in general way.
These bad feelings consist in chilllness Of
The whole body, aud il his clothes are at all
damp with pe,spiretioD, he feels cold and
uncomfortable. He is feyersh, and yet it
| seems impossible for him to get warm.
This feyerishness is attended with great
chiiiness, which increases when ne Is eX-
posed to draught of cold air. As evening
approaches, all these bad feelings are in
creased, aud when night comes on he has
pam ia his back and limbs, accompanied by
q slight cough aud au upoaturai frequency
of breathing, with unusual qulckness OF the
| pul-e and feeling of uneasiness or oppres-
sion about the chest, His sleep is disturbed
by chilliness, restlessness and unpleasant
dreams. The warmth OF his bed and bed
| chamber NAV cause slight cessation of his
bad feelings aud in the morning. feeling better, he
goes OUT attending to his business, only TO have all
his bad feelings return with increased force at the
| spprosch of the ensuing night Should be heed
the warning implied by the return of his bad
feelings aud confue himself to an equal tenpera-
ture, OF about sixty five degrees, and partake OF
copious drinks of hot tea coffee OF milk he may
possibly avert attack of the disease but unfor-
tunatey he is apt TO neglect TO do this, and his
| going about is only arrested by an actual invasion
| of pneumonia which usually comes on in from
! one TO three days.
! Should the premonitiun expressed by the bad
| feelings be disregarded, the sufferer may sudden
| " be brought to distressing realization Of his
perious coalition by an acute attack of infisn- :
nation of the lungs, for pneumonia is always sud-
den in its attack He goes to bed feeling very
badly, with chilliness, feverishness, slight head
ache, pains in his limbs aud back and an uncom-
Portable feeling about his chest. After being in
bed short time sudden rigor OF chill comes on,
and it seems impossible for him to get warm.
This severe chiiliness is always precursor of the
disease and lasts for an hour or more, and is at
once succeeded by pungent and intense fever,
attended with increased psins in the head, back
and limbs, accompanied by pain in the SIDE quick
pulse, short breathing and 4 dry hacking cough.
The face wears dusky, flushed appearance, and