Bisbee daily review., 1910-12-01
vENNEMAN WARNS AGAINST
 THE DREAD PNEUMONIA

while i'll she was a menace to all with whom she came in contact. not
 only for her ability to communicate
 tons litis but, with equal facility. any
 of the other maladies with which
 the pDeumococcous Is associated. A
 case Illustrative of this transforma-
 ton faculty occurred here in Douglas i few years ago.
 | nurse who was recovering from
 an attack of influenza attended a wo-
 man in confinement. In a few days pneumonia infected not only the par
 turient woman who died from the dis ease, but three other members of
 the household had typical attacks of pneumon
 How may we avoid pneumonia? :?
 An ounce of prevention in this dis
 ease is worth many pounds of cure, | for while we medical men can do
 much to alleviate and control 1t we | yet ahve no specific treatment that is dependable. In one of my books
 on materia medica no les sthan forty seven different remedies are mention ed as recommended by different au- | thor ties in the treatment of this dis
 ease. which is proof of the ineffic- iency of drugs to more than tenta- lively assist
 There are two horns to this dilem- ! ma of prevention, each of which is of equal importance.
 First, prevent the ingress of Fraen-
 kers pneumococcus into our bodies,
 and
 Secondly, keep our bodies in such | norfac& ubyR condition tok fhora
 may be no weak spot inviting their invasion.
 By the first method we are to shun these germs. not only by avoiding
 cases affected with diseases with
 hich they are known to be associated.
 as much as possible: but. more es-
 pecially. by preaching and practicing
 the doctrne of disinfection On all occasions. This organism is in the saliva, sputum, nasal and other se- cretions and excretions which contam- mate the surroundings of the one af-
 fected, and are conveyed to others through the air he breathes, or by flies, or more directly by sleeping with or coressing the sick person or
 using bandkerch iefs or other ar ticles that he has used. A few years ago the antarctic explorer, Lieutep- ant Shackleton, with his company penetrated farther south than had ever before been done At times they were exposed to excessively low temperatures, but their health remain ed good until a chest containing cloth ing that had been packed TWO years previously in England was opened. Practically the entire company be anne III from catarrh thus contractef from the m crobes that were untnt@r fiouaily packed in the chest with tn clothing Those in whom FraenkeP. pneumococcus has instituted diseasF should be separated from the rest of the family and left in the hands Of nurse and doctor; their excretions should be burned, their clothing and utensils boiled. and their apartments thoroughly disinfected before aga occupied.
 The second avenue by which we may escape these bacteria is by keeping our bodies in such perfeci condit on that they may find nothing congenisl in us, either as a port of entry or as a location after they have once entered. A good tooth brush and a reliable dentifrice used regd- larly may not only save a dental bn but remove the requisite number of bacteria from the mouth to offset aI attack of pneumonia. The ordinary and lightly regarded cold should be seriously considered and treated. as well as anything else which re, duces vitality and thereby predisposes to pneumonia To this category be- long dissipation, over work, worry, loss of sleep. crowded and illy-ven- tilated sleeping quarters, insufficient or unwholesome food, indigestion and constipation, too much or too little exercise, and especially must be mentioned alcoholism, which by weak ening the heart and dissipating heat from the vital organs, and by stulti- flying the normal sensit veness to ex- posture is a very frequent forerunner of fatal pneumonia. In my service as interne in a Philadelphia hospital. S5 per cent of alcoholic pneumonics died. The continued inhalation of smoke, dust and gases, as necessarily rracticed by grinders. miners, smell lte-gnen and others whose occupat on compels them to work in such at mospheres. predisposes to pneumonis by the irritation and inflammation set up in the lungs. To offset this several hours should be spent each day in pure air, and the ventilation of the sleeping room freely provided Exposure to wet. cold and draughts when overloaded and perspiring, and especially when physically exhausted directly invites infection. It Is pos sible to habituate our bodies to ex- tremes by cold baths. sleeping in the open afr, and by sufficient but oot too much clothing. One who is no. accustomed to these measures should acquire the habit gradually and not by adopting them at once in full strength. It is said that the En-
 Deror Augustus was dying of fever. but the prompt administration of cold bath by his phys elan Musa saved his life. The reputation of the
 physician sored high until the em-
 peror's nephew fell i'll of the same fever and the doctor attempted to re- duce 1t as he had done in the em- pcrOr's case Unfortunately he made