The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1905-03-09
POINTS ABOUT
Causative Elements Difficult to Han-
dle-Best Remedy Recon-
mended Is Air.


mended Is Air.
The increased prevalence Of pneu-
monia, especially at this season, is .
matter of the deepest concern. With q
mortality that is frightful as compared
with other infectious diseases, the death
rate keeps in the high figures in spite
of the best direct efforts of scientific
medicine. The alarm of the situation,
says the New York Herald, is centered in
the apparent impossibility of absolutely
controlling the causative elements of
the disease. The specific microbe, the
climate, u habit of living join hands
in the work of devastation. To coun-
teract the influence of all these appears
as an almost impossible task.
We are told that the pneumocuccus,
which is the active source of infection,
is carried in the threats of most OF
those who are the subjects of ordinary
winetr colds. 1t awaits it's opportunity
as does the thief outside the gate. The
severe and changeable climate of our
winters lower the vital tone of resist
ance, often in spite of studied precau-
tons, and the waiting microbe takes
due advantage of the occasion. Even
If it were possible to annihilate the
specific germ we cannot hope to con-
troll the elements. We may guard against
the transmission of the poison from
one person to another, but can neither
Danish it from the air nor tackle the
lurking enemy in the air passages of the
prospective victim.
The only thing left Us is to meet con-
ditions as we find them, and do the best
we can to resist the disease on gen.
eral hygienic principles. Too much
at this time in the highest point Of
health. Even IL nothing else is left to
the individual tie can at least to some
extent control the situation from the
purely defensive side. No argument
is stronger for such a course than the
fact that during an epidemic of any kind
the weak ones are always the first who
are attacked. 1t is further proved that
in pneumonia IL is not the mere clog
cling of the lungs that kills, but the
direct toxic effect of the pneumococcus
in the blood. All of which goes to
| show that the victim must by means of
his low tone of vitality, from previous
cold or otherwise, be specially suscep-
tible to the poison.
In robust health there is always a Wig
1.z-. ,oc;o4i,r ,1ox,ap ~ I'll onrbi6H
influences, and toxines of every kind are
readily thwarted by natures efforts to
maintain a compensating vital equilib-
rum. Under such circumstances the
army Of invasion is no match for the
legions of protection. Man, however,
in striving to adapt himself to adverse
conditions of climate by the modern
habits of living is not always sufficient
ly on his guard, and suffers in conse-
quence. He is apt to be careless in his
feeling of security. The initiative cold
or the mild attack of grip is not suf'
fcientIy considered. The stitch In
time is not taken, and he rapidly goes
to the bad. He oyerheats his house
and thus directly heightens the differ
ence between the atmosphere indoors
and outside. The hot, dry air of his
room, with its deficiency of moisture
gives him his first start.
Coddling of any kind, while necessary
for the sick, is positively harmful fol
the strong. No n dies of too mucl
pure air. A full inspiration of oxyger
is the best of all pulmonary disinfect-
ants. The one who can face a cold blasI
and feel the inauguration of health-giv-
ing influences is always on the safel
side. Nature has her W heating ap-
paratus within our bodies, and the one
who keeps 1t in good trim by outdoor
exercise, good food, plenty of sunshine
pure air in his living rooms and tht
like. can balk the best-directed effort:
of the invading microbe even during the
most Indictment seasons. May it moi
be possible, then, to believe that we are
more scared W. the microbe than wf
are of ourselves? The fundamental and
practical lesson is to give u common
enemy the least possible chance of at
lacking us. So much, at least, is with
in the reach of everyone who cares tc
be on his guard.