Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-02-10
PNEUMONIA TREATMENT
MUCH CAN BE DONE FOR ITS CURE
Proper Care and Medicine EffectuaI in
Combating the Disease. ...General
Principles of Treatment Simply
Told

Ed. Public Opinion:
The attention of the public has fire.
auently of late been called TO tile ap
parent increased fatality in the muci
dreaded disease, pneumonia. and mel
are asking what can be done to pre-
vent it's ravages. Many and varied
opinions are offered and not at al
strange some have assumed the char
acter of the sensational.
Thus it has been permitted to gC
forth that according to mcdica
authority nothing can be done for the
cure of this disease.
One of the most difficult things il
to intelligently convey to an unin
formed mind medical facts ant
theories Because of this difficulty
many erroneous opinions are abroad
concerning diseases and their cures.
It is from careless and misunderstood
statements that irreparable harm il
done the public by destroying con-
fidence in their only means of help.
1t is the desire of the writer to pres
ent in as clear manner as possible
facts concerning the nature of this
disease and what may be expected
from proper medical care. First let
Us ask, "what is pneumonia" 1t is
Of Au
caused by the germ diplococcus pneu-
monia. These departures from tie
healthy condition express themselves
in various ways known as symptoms.
Now these symptoms differ in number
and severity first according to the
quantity and quality of the germ.
That is the germ injecting one midi
viduaI may be of strong vitality while
that injecting another may be of weak
vitalitv and the damage done to the
body will be correspondingly great.
Second, according to the strength or
vital resistance of the individual in
fected the life functions rallying in
greater or less degree to antagonize
the invading foe. Now 1t is we'll es.
tablished that some .have stronger i'm
munity than others. Here again the
symptoms will be correspondingly y
severe.
The third factor modifying the
disease is the conditions under which
both the germ and the individua
operate, both being subject to in
huence under biological law. So fa
little is known of agents which vii
directly destroy the germ within tit
body. We are therefore withou
medicines acting as specifics upon I'll,
germ. Mind | do not say upon tn
disease for the germ is but one facto
| in the disease. The individual in
| fected is another and it is for hin
4 that much can he done. That is, "
have the power of bringing the indivi
dual under favorable conditions as o
diet, hygiene, and medicine, whic
constitutes the third factor in determ
ining the character and outcome of
case of pneumonia. The tissues upo
which the germ operates are the deli
cate tubes and air spaces OF the lung
The germ causes by its irritant effect
congestion of the paris, destruction @
tissue and blocking up of the are
affected, thereby diminishing tn
oxigenizing power of the lung, a mos
important function of life. This give
us the first indication in the manage
ment of these cases which is tor pur
air and plenty of it, that what is los
in the quantity received by the lung
may be offset by the better quality
In extreme cases it may be advisabl
to administer free OXYGEN. Togethe
with the congestion comes pain fror
blood pressure within the lungs an
from the irritating influence of tn
germ and it's products. This pain
frequently very severe and exhaust
ing, which gives us indication secon
and third in the management. Ths
is depletion or relief of the conges
tion. In full blooded, strong person
by early bleeding. in others applics
tion of agents which redden the ski
thus drawing the blood from within
or by cold upon the surface to chill
the chest and contract the vessel
while at the same time heat is apple
to the feet to dilate them. and thu
remove the blood from the disease
area to healthier one. Medicine
which dilate the blood vessels of th
skin may also be used. The third in
dication may be met if pain continue
to annoy by the use of one of nuE
ber of drugs which allay pain withor
weakening the vital organs or checl
ing the secreting or eliminating o.
gans such as the various glands in th
mucous membrane and skin, or intel
fering with the action of kidney
bowels, liver, etc.. which play so IN