The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-27
TOO MANY COCKTAILS
BRING ON PNEUMONIA
DR.. John n. Hurry Gives a Few
"Don'ts' to Fight Off Prev
alent Disease.
BEWARE. OF STIMULANTS
"Pneunococcus" Is the Awful
Thing We Must Beware OF
1t Is Infectious.
BEWARE OF STIMULANTS

Too many cocktails and too little fresh
air are given by DIR. j. n. Hurry, secre-
tary of the State Board of Health, as among
the chief causes of pneumonia, the disease
the prevalence of which in the cities of the
State is causing health boards much con-
Germ.
Dr. Hurry gives a few "don'ts'' that
should be needed by the man seeking to
evade the germs of pneumonia. and among
them are these: Don't indulge in stimu-
lants; don't breathe foul air; don't submit
yourself to chill; don't overeat; don't deprive
yourself of sleep
Doctor, what is the cause Of so much
pneumonia this winter" is a common ques-
ton which doctors are asked these days and
compelled TO give some answer. 1t is a diff
icult question and most answers are specu-
| lations more or less.
There is much more pneumonia prevalent
this year than in former years. especially
in the cities of the State. According TO the
statistics of the State Board of Health, 20
| per cent of the pneumonia has occurred
in the cities during the past four years, the
period over which a record has been kept.
The statistics also show that there was an
increase of pneumonia amounting to Il per
cent during the year of 1903 over the year Of
1902. Later statistics show that during jan
uary of this year, 1904, there were $40 deaths
by pneumonia in the State against 40 in
January of 1903. or an increase of 80 per cent
DR.. HURRY ON PNEUMONIA.
DIR. Hurry, in speaking of the increase Of
pneumonia this winter, said yesterday:
1.-THE fact that pneumonia is on the in
crease in several cities. and the further
fact that It has always been formidable
disease and cause of death causes many
people to ask: Where Goes IL come from?
Why this increase?'
Pneumonia is an infectious disease. The
infection is. from human beings, for 1t is
lives in the lower animals. Therefore, II
| you get pneumonia the seeds of the dis
| ease have come from some other person.
| The infection is in the sputum of the af-
fected, the same as the tuberculosis infec-
| ton is in the sputum of the cOnsumptive.
| Both infections have become widespread
on account of our Ignorance and careless
ness. Not infrequently the pneumococcus
can be found in the noses and threats of
| healthy people. 1t has been taken in by
breathing. Yet II does not grow and pass
down into the air passages because il meets
with resistance. That is TO say, the person
who is harboring the germs is we'll and
strong, his resistance is high.
GERMS IN THE NOSE.
However. the germs are not impatient.
| they can wait for opportunity which
Is likely 10 come, 1Or tnelr most is pretty
| certain sooner or later to shut himself up
| in stuffy office or breathe few bushels
| of the sticky, sinking air of the street cars.
| or perhaps take too many high balls or
| cocktails. or because of a stomach attack
not receive proper nourishment, or he may
become chilled by exposure and all of
these lower resistance. OF all the ways of
| lowering resistance the breathing of foul
| air is the best. Just keep oxygen out of
| your blood by refusing TO give yourself
! plenty of pure air. and you will reduce
| the resistance of the tissues sufficiently to
permit the pneumococcus, which may be in
your nose or mouth, or which may be in
| some dust you are compelled to breathe
| in, TO grow and have it's inning. Stjmula-
| ton is always followed by depression and
when the depression comes then pneumonia
may grow if 1t is present
ABOUT RESISTANCE.
THE exposure which truck drivers and
/ hackmen experience would chill and lower
| the resistance of an Office man and lay
| him open to pneumonia, and sometimes, on
| account of being constantly surrounded
/ by artificial heat, simply standing in a
| doorway bareheaded will chill one To pro-
/ tect yourself far possible against
| pneumonia-don't indulge In stimulants,
| don't breathe foul air, don't submit your
| self TO chill, don't overeat. don't deprive
| yourself of sleep, in word keep your re-
/ sistance up TO the highest pitch"