The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-09
HEALTH BINTS
For Old and Young.
BY FELIX L. OSWALD, NJ. D.,
CHAPTER LXXXVL.


AIR POIsoEs.
Mr.. Henry Wattorson, of Louisville, informs
us that there was a time whom teetotaism pre-
vailed all over the State of Kentucky, but adds
| that it was during tho geological period when
the south side OF tho Ohio Valley was 1000 feet
below tho sen.
That period was also the only time when any
portion of the submerged territory could boast
n total freedom from atmospheric disease germs.
In warm weather, especially, the air we breathe
Is saturated with floating seeds Of decay and
contaRion to degree which has only begun to
be realized during tho latter half of the pres
cnt century. The belief in tho possibility Of
spontaneous generation has decreased from
year to year, since all manner of experiments
have made IL clear that the microbes and mag
goteH hich seem suddenly to develop on organic
substances (where not trace of that sort could
be discovered boforel must have been conveyed
through the air, instead of being evolved in the
decaying substance itself. Prof. Schulze of
Berlin, contrived receptacle for specimens of
fruit, berries, meat, etc. that could DO reached
only by mir which had previously passed through
a solution of strong acids and proved that
during the 10 warmest weeks of the year May
% to Aug. l0) not vestige OF putrefaction
germs had made their appearance II is ex-
actly tho same with the seeds Of human dis
eases. Any atmospheric conditions that favor
q process of decay are also apt to develop con-
tagious disorders of the human organism, while,
on the other hand, n temperature preventing
decay is also likely TO arrest the progress of
epidemios. In the cold, dry atmosphere OF the
St. Bernard plateau the coFpses of tho old
mountain convent have for generations been
preserved without embalming- fluids; they dry
up like mummies, and are ranged in the inches
OF the mauBoleum without sh rouds and without
collins. That same plateau Is often used ar q
place Of refuge from tho epdemics Of the low
lands, and the monks live TO hoary old age,
in spite of their Rscetic practices.
In moist, warm regions, on the other hand,
the seeds Of disease arc inhaled with every
breath, but fortunately the human organism.
under normal circumstances, has faculty OF
Kidding itself of such germs, just as healthy
vegetable substances resist tho germs OF decay.
The floating mold which Mt once attacks the
bruised strawberries on the shelf OF a stulfy
pantry can find no Judgment on the sound
berries in tho gardens and fields, and n person
OF vigorous constitution may with impunity
breathe myriads of microbes-fcver- germs,
| cholera-gcrms, lung poisons-all OF which the
self-protecting contrivances Of the organism
manage 10 eKpe as 30 much waste matter.
The prospects of running the gantlet Of such
aggressors differ, however, in the case of persons
| afflicted with hereditary organic inhrmities or
the after-eiIects Of yiruent diseases. Trees
that have once boon struck by lightning arc
curiously apt to DO hit again. and 1t is nearly
tho same with the victims Of certain contagious
smallpox In by no means a term disease; il
may re appear at intervals OF five or six years,
Il number OF times, limited only by the duration
Of human life. Persons who have once had an
attack OF ague-chills are specially susceptible 10
maiari0us influences, and gastric fevers often
| affect the same person for years at the return
of certain seasons.
But OF all recurrcnt diseases the disorders
OF tho respiratory organs are the most decidedly
influenced by the effect OF antecedents. Even
In our own country and nj this advanced period
of disease fayoring civilization, there are still
IA few absolutely catarrh-proof persons-men
who know colds and coughs only from hearsay
and who can brave Winter storms aud tene-
| Inent miasma with equal IMMUNITY. They are
individuals whose lungs would prove TO DO
entirely free from the faint Of tuberculosis and
on tho dissecting tables of every large medical
college subjects of that sort still turn up from
| time 10 time-some of them persons who have
preserved their pulmonary integrity to patri-
archa old ago.
| Few-pcrhaps not moro than two in n mil
| lion-children arc born with diseased lungs,
| but a combination OF hereditary influences and
atmospheric Impurities may develop something
| ve.y much akin to true consumption at an ex-
tremely early age. Infants afflicted with
| chronic catarrhs and ugly hacking coughs can
| be found in tho tenement novels of every large
| manufacturing town, and many of them cough
| themselves into extinction before the begin
| ming OF their teens. / have repeatedly taken
| charge OF such patients with a view of prevent
| Ing the development OF a chronic disorder but
| ] found that the chance of keeping them from
| catching cold" depends almost entirely upon
| the possibility of making them breathe fresh air
| day and night. They have to DO kept at play
| In the mountains and woods in dry weather
| and under an open shed on rainy days; they
must cat, dress and study in rooms AZ airy as an
| open porch, and tho windows of their bedrooms
abG h. ln1tli IT, H.
tolorable protection against rain AS we'll as
| gnats) but never DO entirely closed against
| currents OF the outdoor atmosphere as long as
| the mercury keepslOn tho tolerablo side of zero
| In that way injured human lungs may be got
| to heal sufficiently to prevent the development
| OF the Understanding germs, but even cOnval-
| escent who has remained free for years from
| pulmonary complaints Of any sort may contract
q malignant cataTrh during short visit to an
| ar-infected locality. Close, overheated rooms.
but especially stuly railway cars, are ingeni.
| ously -contrived inoubsteIs for the propagation
of lung diseases
ION Winter trips" says . much travelling
friend of mine, % keep sharp lookout for
| catarrh pedlars, coughing and smiling way
fareIs who enter a. railway car with big load
of colds and Distribute them wholesale or re-
| tail. They generally begin by closing every
open window in sight, to prevent accidental
loss oil their precious cargo. The moment
see carrier of that sort / try to shift my
satchels to the seat farthest from his, and TO
construct barricade of shawls and coats ena-
bling me to enjoy draft of fresh air through
well-conceaed ehink of my window In cool
weather an opening of half an inch will secure
an air-current sufficient TO counterfeit tho In.
huence of the lung poison. In warm weather
the window has to DO opened altogether, and if |
/ cannot manage things In any other way, |
move my portable luggage to the smok ing car |
If luck favors mo not much ugly smoking may
DO going on, but even in the very worst case IL |
is Onlya choice between being tobacco.sic ened |
for few hours or catarrh-sick ened for q long |
series of days. The smokers hardly ever object |
to an open window, and If they let me enjoy |
current of fresh air, while the catarrh- fend |
dcspotises the ladies' car, an occasional Whit of
nicotine fumes is decidedly lesser evil"