Evening star., 1905-11-06
FIGHTING PNEUMONIA
Malady Finds Greater Number of Vic
Tins Each Year.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
The commission which was appointed last
year by the New York board of health TO
study pneumonia, and whose preliminary
report has just been summarized by the
press. is composed OF men of high profess
sonal rank. Yet the problems involved IN
the inquiry are so serious that there is no
danger OF securing too exalted a grade of
talent for their solution. The disease which
the commission has been considering has
risen into peculiar prominence OF late. At
one time consumption caused more deaths
than any other malady. and pneumonia
ranked second cause of mortality,
Within the last ten or fifteen years the two
have exchanged places in some parts OF
the United States, II not in the metropolis
Consumption, as q result of the adoption
or more enlightened methods of preven-
ton and treatment, works a little less
havoc now than formerly Pneumonia, on
the other hand finds a greater number of
victims in proportion to the population.
There is ground for the belief that the
grip has contributed materially to this re-
suit. because 1t Is often a prelude to en-
attack of pneumonia and il sadly disquall-
fies a man for successful resistance to an
illness of another nature. However what
ever the cause, the increased prevalence of
pneumonia has excited the gravest alarm
and perplexity in the medical profession.
The commission is convinced that, like
tuberculosis, the more acute type of lung
disease Is attributable to the presence of
microbes and that the latter are dissent
mated by the drying Of sputum from pa
ticnts. The organisms are not easily borne
about by the air SO long as they are moist.
but afterward they are as easily circulated
as dust particles. This fundamental fact
shows the desrability of deluging a sick
room with sunlight, promoting free venti-
iation and using a broom only when the
floor has been sprlnkled.
Some puZzling facts have been elected In
the course of the investigation conducted
by DIR. Darlington's experts. One is that
pneumococci, the supposed cause Of the
disease, are sometimes carried in the
mouths of persons for weeks without pro-
ducing any apparent effect. In like man.
ner they are observed in the secretions
of patients who have recovered for a COLI
siderable interval after the disappearance
of other symptoms. This second phe-
nomenon resembles one which often follows
an attack Of typhoid fever and gives rise
to the question how long such persons may
threaten the health of their associates and
neighbors Perhaps more light on this mat
ter may be afforded by further observation.
Such information should prove useful in the
devising of sanitary precautions for COM
munity in which pneumonia prevails.
Prevention Is infinitely preferable to cure:
but good generals consider what to do IL
their first line of defense falls. The only
remedial agent to which the commission
refers is a blood serum derived from an inl-
mune animal Experiments were made, evil
IDENTIFY with view TO obtaining hints 70
the value of an antitoxin of this kind. other
ventures of the same character having been
made repeatedly in the last few years. The
verdict rendered Is little obscure, but.
while the commission seems to have found
that a serum. as now prepared. might be
serviceable for purposes of diagnosis. II
appears to be silent about the remedial and
protective qualities of the article How
ever, If the serum which few physicians
even now employ Is not all that could DO
desired, improved methods may yet develop
one that can be more heartily recon-
mcnded