The herald., 1894-12-14
BEWARE OF PNEUMONIA.
Health Commissioner Edison of New York
Tells How to Ward 1t on.

Tells How To ward 1t On.
Although more or less prevalent
throughout the year, pneumonia is Pc
ouliarly dangerous during the opening
months of winter. With the first frosts
a very marked increase takes place in
the number of cases, and during this
cold, damp weather extra precautions
should be taken. Pneumonia is proba-
bly, produced by an earth microbe, and
when frost prevails the soil beneath
the house is the only ground which is
not frozen. The germ gradually works
toward the warm, moist earth, and the
house really acts as sort of flue, which
forms ready mode Of egress for them.
The proper ventilation of rooms is there
fore an important factor in guarding
against pneumonia, one, however, which
is often overlooked.
Lack of personal hygiene is the chief
predisposing cause of the disease. r.
regular hours, insufficient nourishment,
dyspepsia, excessive fatigue or some
disease which has lowered the general
tone of the system all weaken the pow
or of resisting the pneumonia germ.
When the system is run down, sudden
exposure to cold may prove fatal, while
in a normal condition Of body it would
be thrown off.
There are three periods during which
the susceptibility topneumonia is great
est. They are early childhood-that is,
up to z years of age, between the ages
of 30 and 40 and after 60. The power
Of resistance against pneumonia grows
much feebler after 60 years Of age, and
nine-tenths of the cases prove fatal.
Cold, damp weather is favorable to
the contraction of "colds' and the sub.
sequent Developments of pneumonia, and
it still exists to some extent in a modi-
fed form. This is the disease with which
pneumonia most readily combines, but
it. is found in combination with diph-
liberia. typhoid fever, measles. scarlet
fever and many others.
When a severe or sudden chill has
been contracted, the main thing is to
act quickly, and many serious illness
can be averted and valuable life saved
by little intelligence coupled with
promptitude. II possible, send for a
doctor Immediately and take ten grains
of quinine and five drops of spirits of
camphor in little water or on lump
of sugar. These doses are for an adult.
Then soak the feet in hot water and
jump into bed. Simple as these remedies
are, they have nipped in the bud many
prospective cases of pneumonia.
VTl,;1a coo1-,,,cv +ho ho hr,1
should be warmly wrapped in a blan-
ket, which should be kept on until some
time after the person has entered the
bed in order that free perspiration be
continued and not checked.
A good thing to prevent "colds" is to
wear wool next the skin. When this is
not possible on account Of the irritation
sometimes caused, a mixture of wool
and silk will generally be found salts
factory. would not recommend cotton
in any form for underwear, as it is fire.
quently the cause Of dangerous cold
by becoming wet and keeping the tenn
perature of the skin below the normal.
Care should be taken that the feet dc
not get wet, or if so that prompt meas
ures are taken to dry them and change
of hose made.
The care taken of the outside Of tht
body must be supplemented by the same
care of the inside. A moderate diet
wholesome food, plenty of rest, regular
hours, will keep the whole system il
good order and enable it to throw of
the germs of disease, which can only
obtain footing when debilitation af
fords an entrance for the disease and 6
fruitful soil for its development. --Cy
rus Edison in st. Louis Post Dispatch.