El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-16

TOR more than quarter of GEN.
r. fury body of philanthropic ply
sicians and laymen interested in
the relief of hay fever sufferers, have
held an annual convention at Bethle-
hem, New Hampshire, for discussing
the causes and possible cures of this
aggrayating ailment- Because Of its
altitude, Bethlehem offers relief 10
most hay fever victims and at the con-
ventions there are always numerous
comparisons of symptoms made by
those who have had experience with
the malady. There are always some
new remedies suggested and some new
experiments reported, and the object
of the United States Hay Fever asso-
citation is to endeavor to find some
absolute cure.
There is probably no disease known
to the profession which is so battling
to the physician and regarding which
SO little progress in treatment has been
made in the past half century. 1t is
called hay fever because it was for
merly associated with the haying sea-
son and yet every physician has num-
berless cases which occur at other sea-
sons of the year and seem to have no
apparent connection with the pollen
of goldenrod, ragweed and other plants
supposed to produce it,
The Hay Fever association has Of
fered a number of prizes in different
years for essays bearing upon the dis
ease and its treatment. Some Of the
assays are considered excellent and
authoritative, yet not one of them
has been able absolutely to determine
the causes Of a large percentage OF
the, cases. and, so far as known at
present, there is no cure, although
skilful physicians are continually
making experiments in the hope of
finding one.
over 100000 hay fever sufferers have
visited Bethlehem in hope of being
cured. Most Of these have been tenn
porarily relieved, but the cures have
been few, if any. 1t is estimated that
at the present time there are fully
100000 people in the United States
who suffer from hay fever, although
only a small proportion of them at
tempt to go to any resort for relief.
Accompanies Nervous Disorders.
Physicians generally agree that the
malady is more apt to attack persons
who belong to the professional or COM
boring class. The latest concensus Of
opinion places hay fever with the ner-
vous disorders, Notwithstanding its or
ganic symptoms. The higher the re-
finement and civilization of the indf-
vidual the more highly organized is
his nervous system which perhaps ac-
counts for the prevalency of hay fe-
yer among the welltodo.
Against this theory. however. is
ho% Lob IL
are less likely to go to a physician for
minor ailment than those who have
greater leisure to devote to thinking of
their physical discomfort and that con-
sequently many cases are unreported.
Numbers of people pursue their daily
avocations while suffering severely
from hay fever, which is to them only
,, a severe cold. In fact many socalled
summer colds" would be diagnosed
as hay fever if a physician Were con-
suited
Caused often by Weeds.
While conceding that hay fever is
partially a nervous disorder and is
greatly affected by the general phys
zeal condition of the patient, physf-
CLANS yet agree that it is caused very
frequently by the pollen of certain
weeds. Ragweed and goldenrod are
the two plants most frequently blamed
with TIC lEOQO1cs although
there are many others, including sew
eral of the grains, which have the
same effect upon some people. Gold
enrod is generally considered the most
mischievous and as in some localities
this plant continues to bloom until
after the first heavy frost, it extends
the duration of hay fever until win
ter.
But there are many other causes of
hay fever. Many people suffer an at
tack of it from the perfume or rose.
A we'll known botanist was SO affect
ed by the odor of roses that he would
frequently be unable to continue his
work for. days if he Inadvertently
came in contact with blooming rose
bush
Artificial Rose Causes ATTACK
Many amusing stories are told re-
garding the effect of the Imagination
upon this malady. One eminent ply
stefan who devoted a great deal or at
tention to the study of this disease
had a patient who was likely to have
violent attack every time she went
into a room where there were cut
roses. Believing the malady in her
case to be largely a nervous irritation
he tried the experiment of presenting
her with a full blown rose one morn
ing when she came into his office to
consult him about another matter.
within five minutes the malady pc
came apparent and continued for sew
eral hours, even after she had dis
covered that the rose was an artificial
one.
Picture of Hay Starts Sneeze.
Another doctor claims to have had
hay fever patient who was stricken
in the winter time while standing be-
fore picture of bayfield, in an art
gallery. An equally absurd story is
told of a man who believed that he
would always have hay fever every
time that he came in contact with a
horse. He went with a party or friends
on fishing excursion in the noun
tains. Notwithstanding the high a1ti-
tude, he had an attack because horse
blankets were used to sleep under.
The fact that the blankets were per-
fectly new and had never been used
for horses had no effect in overcoming
the power the mental suggestion OF
horses had upon his nervous system.
Really Comes From a Germ.
Aside from these cases. caused by
the attitude of the mind, there Is no
doubt but that in most cases the all
ment comes directly from a germ