The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-03
Pneumonia as an Infectious Disease
A Local Physician Talks About This Prevalent Male y and Its. Fossil
Prevention


There are a number of scientific gentlemen
already experimenting in this direction. and
it will not be long before some of them will
strike upon the right thing. The expert
ments thus far that have been carried on
indicate the possibility of success in this di-
%rectiOn, and there is strong reason to hope
that the future may bring to US an anti
toxin for pneumonia which will be as sue
cessful as the diphtheria antitoxin is for
that disease.
las VARIOUS FORMS.
"All pneumonia is not alike, and it's vari-
Gus distinct forms are not all due to the
same microbic causes. What / have said
refers chiefly to the ordinary form known
as sudden acute pneumonia. This is a dis
ease that comes quickly, lasts for from five
to ten days and ends as quickly as it comes,
but generally with a crisis. The other form
of pneumonia, commonly called broncho-
pneumonia, is also infectious in character,
but is not due to any one kind of germ. Into
its causation also enters even more frequent
ly than in ordinary pneumonia in the form
of predisposing elements, as exposure or
preceding diseases like influenza, measles,
whooping cough, typhoid fever or a bad
cold on the lungs. Both of these forms of
pneumonia have been unusually prevalent
In this vicinity of late. Whether the ele-
ment OF infection or the disturbing influence
of the wintry season, which favors the in
lection. is most to blame, l cannot say. 1t
may be possible that the germs of pneu-
monia may be unusually active and viru-
lent just at present, for it is a matter of
common knowledge that other infectious
diseases. such as typhoid fever, smallpox
and scarlet fever vary in severity from time
to time"
The doctor was asked what would be the
best measures TO prevent the spread OF this
disease.
Sanitary authorities in general" he said,
ARE somewhat alarmed over the great
prevalence of and also over the
apparent recent increases in the number Of
cases of this disease. Knowing that il is an
infectious ailment they have seriously dis
cussed the properties of a preventive based
upon that view. OF course, should such a
measure seem advisable it would be quite
different from the one instituted in
such diseases as smallpox and scar
let fever, in which the poison seems
scattered through the air from the whole
body of the patient. The only source of dam
ger in pneumonia would be from the expec-
~toration. and certainly whatever the health
boards do or say, it would be a sensible and
a safe thing to guard and destroy such ex-
pectoratiOn as occurs in every case Of pneu-
monia. There is good reason. 1 believe, to
think that this might diminish the preva-
lence of the disease"
In conclusion, DR.. Potter said that a GER
tain amount of Our-Of-dO0r exercise was as
necessary TO prevent pneumonia as it was
any other disease, because close confinement
especially prepared the lungs for it. He also
contended. that people who were extensive
users of alcoholic stimulants were also very
susceptible to pneumonia, and whenever one
of them contracted the disease it nearly al
ways proved fatal, for the reason that they
were not in the physical condition to resist
it. He compared the action Of microbes to
birds upon carrion. He said that when the
lungs became sore and infiamed, to a GER
tain extent the microbes settled upon this
particular part and commenced their deadly
work, and those, of course, increased the in
fammation and kept the parts from healing.
1t also seems that pneumonia is more prev
alent in thickly settled districts, and in this
regard il is similar to consumption, small
pox and other diseases of that nature; also,
that public gatherings. where the atmo-
sphere is close and people expectorate upon
the floors, are one of the best means of
spreading pneumonia.