Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-01
PNEUMONIA Is STUDIED.
State University Bacteriolgists H.
vestigating Germs Of the Dread
ed Disease.

The fact that pneumonia unlike
most other communicable diseases
is at present increasing until the.
death rate is now higher than that
of the great white plague tuber-
culosis, and also the fact that
modern sanitary measures are APP
parently unable to cope with the
disease, have led the department OF
bacteriology of the University of
Wisconsin to maze an investigation
Of the germ that causes pneumonia.
A series of examinations and tests
have been quietly carried on during
the past few years, and the COM
pllation which has just been made
of the results of these Investigations
brings out some interesting facts in
regard to the nature Of the disease,
and suggests possible methods of
prevention.
The cause of Pneumonia which is
minute organism about 1875, 900 of
an inch IN length known as bac-
terium pneumonia, lodges In the
nose and throat, where, as these in
vestigations show, it may remain
for long time apparently without
affecting the health of the person.
Under ordinary conditions of normal
health it is unable to get a foothold,
but as soon as the PERSONS vitality
is lowered, it at once becomes active
and soon develops the much dreaded
diseases. Thus both the active
cause, or the germs, and the pre-
disposing cause, or lowered physical
vitality, are necessary to produce
the disease.
In view of this last fact, the
question of the presence of the germ
in the mouths of healthy persons is
of the greatest Importance, and it
was this problem that Professor
Frost set about to re-study to de-
termine the prevalence of the pneu-
monia organism among people in a
state of normal health. Of the fifty
people of different ages and occupa-
tions, all in good health, who were
examined, the saliva of eighteen
showed the presence of the pneu-
monia germs. Thus the mouths of
SO per cent, or over One-third Of the
people in normal health have in
their mouths these disease produc-
ing organisms.
In order to determine the effect
of occupation on the prevalence of
the germs the persons examined
were chosen from various callings.
In the mouth of five carpenters
who are constantly working out of
doors none were found, while in
the mouths of all of the five
draughtsmen whose work keeps
them within doors at all times, the
germs were present. Of five Uni
versity students and five teamsters
who were engaged partly indoors
and partly outdoors the germs were
present in from 40 to go per cent.
While not conclusive, the results in
dictate that those who are out of
doors are less likely to have present
the exciting cause of the disease.
The investigations also show that
both the prevalence and the virul-
ence of the pneumonia germs are
greater in spring than in winter,
and much greater in spring and
winter than in fall. In the fall
months the organisms were found
in but "a per cent, whereas in win
ter they were present in 43 per
cent, and in the spring in so per
cent. So also the virulence of the
bacterium varied with the prevail
ence, in fall that rate being but AZ
per cent, whereas in winter it was
70 per cent and in spring 80 per
cent.
This study of the bacterium pneu-
moniae, the preliminary results of
which have just been announced, is
beng continued by Professor w. D.
Frost, assisted by several of the
advanced students in bacteriology,
in the laboratories of the depart
ment of bacteriology of the Uni
versitv of Wisconsin, and promises
to develop other new and interest
ing results in regard to this disease
which is annually carrying off hun
dreds of thousands in all parts of the
country