Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-04
PREvENTIoN OF PNEUMONIA.
Anything That Lowers the Vital Tone
Invites the Disease.

: z y
From the New York Herald.
AS February and March are the typical
pneumonia months, during which the dis
ease reaches its highest mortality. It Is
incumbent on all 10 exercise more than
ordinary care In avoiding undue exposure
to well-known inclemencies of the weather
during these months Living as we do in
such variable climate we cannot Alto
gether escape the Incident risks Of sudden
changes of temperature, raw air, snow,
rain and sleet and poisonous dust. but we
can do our best to harden ourselves to
emergencies. II never take cold, because
I have my cold plunge every morning,
says one, but every individual cannot safe
iy indulge in such a practice 1t is Ques-
ton OF quick reaction and healthy glow
of the body. or a depressing and chilly
effect, doing proportionately greater harm.
But short of this each one can tougher him
self In his own way by an inuring process
which suits his requirements
The main point to be gained is the ready
adaptation to sudden changes indoors and
out, and the ability to promptly resist q
temporary chill The occurrence Of the
latter should always be taken as warn
ing that the body machinery Is not IN
good working order. Anything that lowers
the vital tone furnishes the proper coil
for the ever-lurking pneumococcus. I'm
due and prolonged. exposure to cold and
excessive indulgence in alcoholic stimulants
are we'll known to be the leading depress-
ing agencies that specially invite pneu-
monte attack Next comes general weak
ness or debility, and for this reason the
aged are the surest victims Of the dis
esae
avoided. Tha largest proportion OF pneu-
ntoria victims IS first attacked In this way.
Ordinary catarrhal affections are 80 COM
mon during all seasons, due to infected
dist ID clties and unhygienic apartments,
tertion to them, but at this time they as
sumo, TOR obvious reasons, an ominous Inn
portanc6. The first atm, then, should be to
allow the ordinary cold no Quarter, Inc ;e
the fact that by q prompt treatment OF the
affection pneumonia Is often enectualiy pre-
vented. Thus we arm the system against
serving and stimulating vital resistance.
Nor is any time to be lost. inasmuch as the
'Rss1 e PsI1a ssg: 1''sa
are those attended With feverisfness. las
| sfthde. headache acly limbs and the gen
eral sick feeling. that mark the attack.
| To brave such seizure by an. attempt
| to work 1t OFF, Is the height OF foolhardi-
| ness The prudent man must take to his
| bed at once and submit to proper medical
treatment nor should he venture out again
until all threatening symptoms have disap-
| peared.
| AS an additional emphasis to the Inn
| portance of these salutary precautions, SIM
| Die as they are, and SO easily applied, II
| must be borne in mind that when pneu-
| monia fairly starts on it's way 1t goes tc
| its end AS a self-lmited disease it al
| ways takes definite course, progressing
| through it's various stages IN spite of the
most skillful treatment and ending either
| In the crisis which marks the commence
| ment of recovery, or in death. Why, then
| should we take any risks, however small
they may at first appear? The microbe Is
on one side, the victim on the other Al
least we can protect the Individual against
| chance attacks.