The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-08-25

been able absolutely to determine tn
causes of large percentage of tn
cases. And, so far as is known a
present, there Is no cure althoug
skillful physicians are continual
making experiments in the hope 0
finding one.
Cures Few, If Any
Over 100000 hay fever sufferer
have visited Bethlehem in hope O
being cured. Most of these have bee,
temporarily relieved, but the cure
have been few, if any. 1t is estimated
that at the present time there ar,
fully a million people in the United
States who suffer from hay fever, al
though only small proportion O
them attempt to go to any resort fol-
relief.
| Physicians generally agree that the
nalady is more apt to attack persons
who belong to the professional OF
commercial classes rather than to the
laboring class. The latest concen.
sus of opoinion places hay fever with
the nervous disorders, notwithstand-
ing the organic symptoms. The high,
err the refinement and civilization of
the individual the more highly organ
lied his nervous system, which per-
haps accounts for the prevalence of
hay fever among the well-to-do.
Against this theory, however, is
urged the statement that laborins
people are less likely to go to ply
stefan for minor ailment than those
who have greater leisure to devote
to thinking of their physical discom-
fort and that consequently many
cases are unreported. Numbers of
people pursue their daily avocations
While suffering severely from hay fe-
yer, which is to them only severe
cold. In fact, many so-called summer
colds" would be diagnosed as hay
fever if a physician were consulted;
While conceding that hay fever is
partially nervous disorder and is
greatly affected by the general ply
steal condition of the patient, physi-
clans yet agree that it is caused very
by the pollen of certain
weeds. Ragweed and goldenrod are
the two plants most frequently blam-
ed with starting he trouble, although
there are many others, including sew
eral of the grains, which have the
same effect upon some people. Cold
anrod is generally considered the most
and as in some localities
his plant continues to bloom until
after the first heavy frost, is extends
Ieh duration of hay feveriuntil winter.
Many Other Causes
But there are many otehr causes
If hay fever. Many people suffer an
attack OF it from the perfume of a
'ose. A we'll known. batonist was So
affected by the odor of roses that he
would frequently be unable to con-
.inue his work for days II he mad
came in conta t with al
rosebush.
Many amusing stories are told re-
,arding the effect of the imagination
Upon this malady. One eminent ply
'ician, who devoted good deal of at
.ention to the study of this disease,
had a patient who was likely to have
4 violent attack every time she went
INTO room where there were cut
roses. Believing the malady in herI
'ase to be largely nervous irrita-
ion, he tried the experiment of pre-
,enting her with full blown rose one
morning when she came into his Of
ice to consult him about another mat
er. Within five minutes the malady
became apparent and continued sew
.rely for several hours, even after she
had discovered that the rose was all
lrtificial one.
Another doctor claims to have had
| hay fever patient who was stricken
n the winter time while standing be-
ore a picture of a bayfield, In an art
gallery. An equally absurd story IS
old of man who believed that he
would always have hay fever every
ime that he came in contact with a
,orse. He went with a party of
friends on a fishing excursion in the
Notwithstandi the high
he had, an attack because
,orse blankets were used to sleep
Under. 1, The fact that the blankets
we're perfectly new and had never
,een used for horses had no effect in
overcoming the power the mental sug
,estion Of horses had upon his ner-