Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-06-05
Pneumonia
and Germs
MEDICAL SCIENCE NOW RECON-
MENDS OPEN.AIR CURE
OF MALADY

appointed by the Board of Health In |
an effort to combat the disease.
Pneumonia death ratio in recent |
years has become greater than that |
of its fatal rival, 1.-The white plague"
DR.. Herman NJ. Biggs, general |
medical officer of the Board OF
Health, who has led the fight against
the spread of tuberculosis in the city
and at whose suggestion the pneu-
monia commission was appointed,
told tonight of the progress made.
To a reporter DR.. Biggs said:
rat the outset of our invcstiga-
tions some of us believed a great
many things about pneumonia, and
many OF those beliefs have been
proven to be true by actual expert
ments in various cities, as well as In
different sections of the country. 1t
has been proven that pneumonia Is
infectious; that 1t is caused by n
germ, the pneumococcus, and that II
attacks the normally strong as well
dS lllt WAN with liht iuNNli's'
Germs Travel in Pairs
The pneumonia germ, which is a
lancet-shaped creature, as germs go,
generally travel in pairs and is taxi
en- into. the system through the nose
and mouth. II remains. waiting its
chance to descend into the lungs and
begin its havoc. This chance comes
when the physical condition of the
victim is depressed from an insignif-
cant attack of influenza, measles, bad
cold, catarrh, tonsilitis, or the like.
Once in the lungs 1t propagates with
marvellous rapidity and the lungs
| soon become congested. If the con-
gestion is not relieved death is sure.
I'm many respects there Is great
similarity between consumption and
pneumonia and the accepted treat
ment for the former in many in
stances proves beneficial to the lat
ter. However, the tuberculosis germ
works slowly on the lungs of its vic
tim, while the pneumonia germ
works with amazing ,rnpidity. This
may he cited as one of the chief diff
ferences between the two diseases,
due only 10 difference In the germs.
Prevalent in Winter
Pneumonia Is more prevalent In
winter because then its allies and
contributory causes, such as inilu'
enza, more frequently occur. when
ether affection of the breathing or
gans and the pathway leading to the
lungs exist. 1t makes the most of H.
opportunity and attacks you wnCI
you are down
That pneumonia theoretically |!
preventible there is no doubt, yet /
is extremely difficult, particularly II
great city. Every person, though
by observing few simple details
may greatly lessen its probability.
Avoid colds and all that sort o
trouble which are likely to affect tn
breathing organs. BY all possibl
means preserve to the greatest de
gree possible the general health.
Pneumonia has no tcrrors to tn
perfectly well man. but, those VIII
think themselves In the best q
health sometimes are its readics
victims.
"The germ may be carried in tn
mouth of perfectly well person fc
six months waiting for HIM to cate
a cold or something of the kind II
stantly it makes the best of its OF
portunity.
\ Treat With Fresh Air
AT least, but by no means lcas
get MS much fresh air into your luni
as possible. The germ will die in a
hour II exposed to fresh air and SUI
light. If 1t were possible to get SUI
light into the lungs there wou
never be another case of pneumoni
THE most advanced treatment
the disease, is by the fresh air met
. DDS, the same rs In the cases of col
, sumption, and It Is accomplishir
3 wonders and completely shatterir
old theories.
= Formerly when a patient had pn'
monia the room was tightly clos'
and the temperature kept up. v
have been treating patients, and thu
have been treated in many hosplta
in this city, In tents and In the op,
q air, with the thermometer sometim
at zero"
The commission, of which 7
Biggs is an active member, consis
OF DR.. Edward G. Janeway, /
Thomas Osler. OF Baltimore; DR..
Mitchell Pruden and DR.. Thorn
Theobald Smith, of Boston; DR.. w
liam II. Welsh, of Baltimore; /
John II. Musser, of Philadelphia; |
:" l.. Emmett Holt DR.. Francis p. Xxi
CO nick, Dr. Frank Billings, of Chicai
and various others.