The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1908-04-16
GERM DISEASES AND
THEIR PREVENTION
BY CHARLOTTE
A. AIKENs.

the air, By means OF food or through
an open wound. Practically all Of
these diseases are communicated by
means Of human waste, such as dis
charges from the bowels, from the
nose, from matter coughed up, or dis
charges from wounds.
Contagious and Infectious Diseases.
The terms contagious and infec-
tious are confusing to great many.
A contagious disease is one which
may be acquired by direct personal
contact with a person who has the
disease. The term infectious applies
to any disease caused by germs. A
contagious disease is always infec-
tious, but an infectious disease is not
always contagious. Small pox is a
good example of contagious disease.
and typhoid fever of infectious dis
ease.
When It comes to discussing meth
DDS of prevention, the first and best
measure is to avoid what Is being
termed in popular parlnnce run
down" The individual who IS run
down falls an easy prey to any dis
ease to which he may be exposed.
Nature has made provision for the
destruction Of these disease produc-
ing germs by furnishing in everybody
a set OF cells which act as a stand
ing army who watch out for these
invaders and destroy them in natural
ways. This standing army constI-
tutes our natural .resistive power Il
is only when great numbers Of germs
or germs of unusual yirulence gain
access that they are able to produce
disease.
In all germ diseases there is what
IS termed a period of incubation
the time which elapses from the time
the germs get in till they succeed in
producing active symptoms of their
presence. During this time a constant
battle is going on between the stand
ing army and the germs. When ac-
tual disease results 1t shows the
germs have won and for time they
hold sway. Then in the course OF
time they produce enough poison to
poison themselves, OF they exhaust
their peculiar sources Of food supply
and die on. Many of these germs
produce such changes in the system
that they confer immunity from fu-
ture attacks.
Way to Avoid Disease.
II one would avoid the diseases
that are carried by means of the afr,
such as pneumonia, Influenza or con-
sumption, he should avoid sleeping
or living in overheated, badly venti-
lated, or dark, damp rooms. Epi-
denies of Influenza are largely spread
by means Of churches, schools, thea
tres and places in which many people
assemble. These epidemics invaria-
bly, occur in cold weather when win
dows are closed, and those who are
in any way run down, who are forced
to breathe this bad air in such places,
easily become victims.
Another common cause OF a run
down condition is unwise methods OF
feeding. Occasionally one finds a
person who is undernourished, but
by far the most people are over fed.
Too much food is eaten, children are
allowed to eat too often, and food is
not well chewed. Under such oondi-
lions the stomach is powerless to
deal with coarse, undivided food that
is bolted. It is constantly irritated
and Indigestion is alarmingly COM
mon. Or the body is unable to throw
of the waste matter from this excess
of food which It did not need, and
this waste remains to clog and weak
en- the system. If people would keep
their resistiye power up to the high
est degree they should avoid too
much work or too much play, sleep
plenty, in clean, well ventilated
rooms, use clean, simple food well
cooked and in moderation, keep the
sewers Of the body clean and flushed
by drinking and using plenty of
clean water, inside and outside. When
this is done the most important pre-
ventive measures have been taken.
The American Home Monthly.