The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-04
HEALTH KNOWLEDGE.
Useful and Important Hygienic
knowledge for the Family.
Shirley Dare Tells How to Ward OF Infu-
enza Malaria-Where to Sleep and
When to 6tay Indoors.

The loss of life by an epidemic of influenza
IS very great. greater than that caused by
the last epidemic Of cholera in England,
and the money loss amounts to several mil
lions. as shown by the insurance societies.
The expenditure of a few thousands in
defensive preparations while influenza is
on the march to q country, or, to speak
more accurately. when people are spread
ing it by their movements from place to
place, would prevent an epidemic. Not
only isolation, but thorough disinfection
and airing, especially OF clothing, bedding,
carpets and furniture is called for. Many
have had second attack on returning to
their homes alter months OF absence, ap-
psre1tly owing to survival OF microbic
remnants IN the clothes. carpets. etc. 1t
is desirable that goods from infected
places should be well aired before use. and,
indeed, they ought always to be unpacked
out of doors,
Early cases, often slight need careful
treatment. Severe colds aad sore throats
would better be treated apart during "a
epidemic abroad.
The strong and mild winds OF January,
1880, by increasing ventilation in houses,
4G4tNdg Co4AAdSES O4lu4OUooDo duu puUttC
buildings, and by removing the germs
from clothes, ETC.. SCENE TO have saved q
large number Of persons from attack,
though many Of these subsequently fell
victims 10 the more fatal epidemic of 1891.
After more than years. interval, many of
the susceptible we're again assailabie, ana
many VINO had not Deen lit subjects had
become SO.
INFECTION FROM LETTERS.
A general recognition of the diffusion
of influenza germs by rIeans of letters
and packets by post would largely di-
minish the number Of cases. Envelopes
should not be gummed by patients, and
IN time Of epidem4cs all letters should be
opened at the sides by the receiver.
Letters might be heated before dispatch
or on opening.
WHAT SOILS ARE MALARIAL.
The soils with the worst malarial exha-
latiOns are old estuaries and deltas at the
months CT rivers. Peat is unfavorable 10
malaria. Marshes regularly 0ver1owed
by ire sea are often healthy. while occas-
iODal mixture OF salt water increases tho
emRnatiOas. Sands ever Impermes bic clay
or marty sub-son and over old water
courses are malarious; also rich soils at the
feot of hills.
Malaria may cause great destruction on
dry plains, as when the British army suf-
Tered in Estrsmadura and toward Ciudad
Rodrigo when the whole country was
burnt TO resemble a brick ground. But
both these countries are under water in the
rainy season.
Tae distance to which malaria is borne
seldom exceeds one or two miles. unless
with strong winds. The malaria from the
marshes OF Brousge is carried to Roche
tort, about i've miles. Salt water stops
the miasms better than fresh, usually
within q mile. Malaria does not often ex-
lst at greater height than :, 500 feet, as
proved BY Humholdt's observations in
Mexico.
WHY WE TAKE COLD JUST AT DARK.
The special danger OF the sunset hour in
malariops regions may be owing to the fol
lowing conditions:
The microbes or spores concentrate at q
level little above the ground, exactly as
one may observe dust OF carriages IN the
road in a thick horizontal layer settle on a
warm moist evening; then there Is no lift
ing by ascending air currents, but sort
Of beating down TO a low level, and their
Conference IS caused by the deposition OF
vapCr on the dust particles as the air cools. I
Thus over dried marsh there would be
great condensation CT microbes or spores,
which could no longer dispense. They
would gather about the height of mans
head, just as we see q ground fog IN still
moist air after warm day IN autumn; the
surface of the ground was warm and they
accumulate little above it as radiation
carries off the heat and cools the lowest
stratum of air.
About sunset the earth is still warm and
exhaies moisture into the air above It, and
with the esrth-vapor, organisms ere
largely given off. The human body is at
that time most susceptible 10 their action,
because the rapid cooling OF the skin drives
the blood to these inner surfaces of the
threat, and these congested inner surfaces
favor the incubation by germs drawn in
with the breath. Later il the night, the
organisms have largely sunk, by their own
weight and that OF deposI ID dew, and
moreover the cooled body ECt so much
open to the attack Of germs remaining in
the air.
MALARIA CAN BE ANNIHILATED.
Surface moisture and impure soil are the
conditions OF malaria. Experiment shows
that marked Improvement in the health of
villages can be effected by simple means,
such as rigid attention TO cleaning the
streets, destroying or removing al noxions
matters To q safe distance, filling up holes,
allowing no surface water 10 stand, raising
the tubes of wells above ground, and pro-