The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-06-14
PNEUMONIA A MENACE
Chicago Physician Declares 1t Is
virulently Communicable.
ALCOHOLISM INVITES DISEASE

UT. HOplHI VI "''SN'
Charges Politicians With the Re
sponsiblIity For the Spread Of Ty
phoid Fever
Atlantic City. N. j.. June lO.-Pneu'
monla. which in the words OF Dr. Ed
ward f. Wells, of Chicago, is ne"
menace to civilization" was the subject
Of much earnest discussion by the
members Of the American Medical As.
sociation. At the session of the section
Of hygiene and sanitary science the
disease was dealt with in n paper read
by Or. Wells. who stated that 1t was
virulently communicable, and the sec
ton OF matcrla medica, pharmacy and
therapeutics held a symposium for tho
discussion OF the subject
DR.. Wells said that the prevalence
OF pneumonia is remarkably on the
Increase. He quoted 80 cases OF COM
municable yirulcncy. He recommended
the use OF moistcned cloths before the
face and nose when sneezing and
coughing. He stated that the pneumo-
coccus was present in the throat and
nose OF many persons. and that IL may
be communicated by coughing or by
sneezlng.
DR.. Sternbcrg who is the discOyerer
Of the pneumoccus. or pneumonia
germs. doubted the probability Of
any method OF fumigating or steriliz-
ing a room in which the germs might
happen to be-. He discovered the germ
in himself in 1880 and went to Phila-
1elphia TO comp. tie his experiment
and verified them in Europe
DR.. George NJ Kober, Of Washington,
said that Washington was the only city
not showing an increase in pneumonia.
lie said that as alcoholism invites the
disease. and that the negroes, Of whom
there are a great many in Washington.
are not heavy drinkers, and to that
fact he attributed the proportionately
small number OF pneumonia cases.
The symposium was held in an en-
deayor to find way Of securing A
specific. either synthetic or serum, for
the treatment OF the disease. The
speakers stated in most cases thai
while pneumonia was not on the in
crease the mortality has not been re-
duced Having discovered the germ.
however. the medical profession has a
better understanding Of the disease and
beneficial results in its treatment are
anticipated
A paper by DR.. r. d. Crothers, OF
Hartford, Conn. entitled Should in
ebriates be punished by death for
crime?" aroused considerable interest
during the meeting OF the section OF
nervous and mental diseases. DR..
Crothers said in part. During the past
year over 100 inebriates have been
tried and punished by death for capital
crimes. and the question Of response
biliiy and the degree of sanity present
was the subject OF controversial testi-
mony by large number Of medical ex-
perts. The inehriate should never be
punished with death for crime COM
mitted under the influence of alcohol.
The fact of excessive use Of alcohol
should be accepted as evidence Of men
tai impairment and inability to con-
troll acts and conduct"
DR.. A. A. Robin. Of Wilmington,
Del. in an address before the section
OF hygiene and sanitary science, de-
clared that politics was In a measure
responsible for the spread OF typhoid
fever. He said that scientists con-
nected with municipal water supplies
are likely 10 criminally conceal the
blunders made in connection with FL
tration systems at the command Of
politicians. He said the true facts con-
corning the Wilmington water supply
had been kept from the people Tor
years. He said that corrupt politics.
lack OF appreciation Of health problems
by the city officials and lack of train
ing Of health officers, indifference OF
the public, and even physicians, during
freedom from epidemic were obstacles
in the way OF the elimination Of the
sources of infection DR.. Robins men
toned flies as possible carriers of IN
lection.
DR.. 5. S. Egbert, Of Philadelphia, said
that Pennsylvania had twice as much
typhoid fever as New York or New
Jersey in proportion to the population.