The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-03-10
FATAL PNEUMONIA.
Peculiarities Of q Prevalent and
Dangerous Disease.
Hts Different Symptoms and Stages and
the Various Methods of Treatment
In Use Among Physicinns of
Different Schools.

The sudden changes of temperature
and the carclessness of people generally
who are apt to expose themselves I'M
necessarily to wet and cold are fruitful
inducements to this disease, the Stats
tics of which show fatality Of about
thirty in one hundred cases. Tho NAL
ndy, says the Chicago Tribune, was
formerly known as lung fever. 1t is
an inflammation or congestion of the
lungs, and there are four distinct classes
the lobar, lobular, fibrous and Gaseous
or tubcrcular pneumonia. The two
classes last mentioned not infrcuuently
Terminate in phthisis or consumption.
The first stage is known as that of sem
gorgcments," the second as cred hep
atizatioD," when the lungs become the
color Of the liver When this brownish
color gives way to gray the malady has
reached the third stage, that of ''gray
hepatization." This is the stage Of
absorption" in favorable cases, when
convalescence ensucs. In unfnvornb1o
cases the disease passes into the puru-
lent stage, when death is likely to en-
sue within n very few days, sometimes
in few hours.
The first symptom is usually pro-
nounced chill, followed by sharp pain
within u circumscribed space ut or near
the nipple on the affected side. A rack
ing cough and expectoration soon fol-
low. This is the stage in which the
oval bacteria is found in the sputum.
Then follows high fever, pain in the
head, loss of appetite, severe thirst,
prostration, increased respiration and
pulse VARYING from so to 100
In the second stage pain may cease,
but the cough may continue, though
less hard and painful. In the third
stage the patient, if the symptoms arc
favorable, will cough less; respiration
will resume it's normal condition, appe-
tito will return and pain will almost, if
not entirely, disappear One of the pc
culiarities of pneumonia is that this
third stage in the incorporate may lead
to delirium trcmens. Once GONZALES
ccnce begins in cases of pneumonia,
however, recovery is almost certain.
fatal reiGpscs arc very infrcQucnt.
Pcricarditis, or Inflammation of the
mcmbranous sack which incloscs the
heart, is a very grave complication in
ncumonia.
The old method Of treatment was
bloodlctting, and some physicians re-
seort to that now when the patient is
plethoric. Some believe that the at
tack can be rendered harmless by a dose
OF from forty to sixty grains of qrininc
The course of treatment commonly
employed is to give quininc, antipyrinc,
nconitc, and antifcbrincs in the first
stage, with eXpcctorants and flaxsccd
poultices as hot as they can be borne
applied every twenty minutes. In the
second stage the object is to support
the action Of the heart, and milk punch
'or some other stimulant is given. Dig
tails is also prescribed, and this trent
mcnt is continued with the third stage
and up to convalescence of the fatal is
sue. Death comes when the lungs be-
come consolidated SO that the blood can
not pass through them and can not be-
come oSygcnated, and is due to heart
failure. Some physicians have lately
used oxygen gas to aid the oxygcnating
function of the lungs and in Germany
patients have been carried into the open
air. In one of the German hospitals a
ward is being prepared specially for the
treatment of patients suffering from
pneumonia, the preparation including
the construction of machinery for
pumping cold air over the heads of the
patients. AT some of the hospitals in
this country cases have been success
fully treated in tents. The tents are
well heated in winter, though, by large
stoves, SO that the patients, while
breathing air almost absolutely pure,
are not exposed to the cold Freer at
mospheric circulation is common OBJ
,jcctivc point with American physicians
in the treatment of pneumonia, al
though they do not go SO far in this mat
ter as the Germans. A careful attcn-
ton to ones health, the wearing of
warm clothing, keeping the feet from
getting wet, and the avoidance of drafts
will enable one to generally escape an
attack of this serious disease.