Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-22


calmly sullenly acquiescing in the winter hoo
caust from pneumonia, why not take few precautions
against little foes, the dplococc and resolve not to
contribute personally to the deathroll?
Pneumonia long considered local pulmonary
disease; but is classified infectious general
disease caused by germ the dplococcus pneumonia,
with its most prominent manifestation in the lung This
germ has number of beautiful aliases neumococ-
GUS, streptococcus pneumonia, micrococcus Ian
ceolatus, etc.
Although pneumonia attacks most frequently those in
the third decade of fe its fatality is chiefly manifested
among the very young the very DID, the preaturey DID,
and those who for any show impaired resistance
disease Fifty per cent of the fatal after forty
years of age thirty per cent after age sixty and
like proportion below age five. There is every reason
to believe that pneumonia is comparatively mild and
nonfata disease among those of sound constitution and
average physique. The popular idea that pneumonia
attacks most successfully those of robust constitution is
i'll founded 1t is true that its victims often robust
in architectural large, beefy individu
alsbut life insurance statistics have demonstrated
that such types by ideal risks and that
after thirty years of age the best risks found
what below the average weight. The overnourished,
free living free drinking heavyweight offers the easiest
mark for pneumonia, especially during and after middle
age.
lowered resistance to disease therefore, plus the
diplococcus must exist before pneumonia develop;
and whether not the patient survives will depend
upon ancestry. constitution, personal habits, good
nursing, and last but not least, prompt and capable
medical attendance. The writer is not aware of any
specific drug treatment for pneumonia. This is not to
that drugs are useess but that drug has thus
opment of the dpococc neutraze the effect of their
toxins. number of drugs of great value in pneu
monia, in supporting the circulation and maintaining
the functions of the body thus enabling the patient to
fight his battle successfully; but the dplococci
must be conquered, at all, by white blood cells and
certain complex elements generated in the blood which
both weaken the bacteria of disease and antagonze the
effect of bacterial poisons.
Hope of Victory
A GLIMMER of hope that we shall soon be able to
meet the pneumococcus his ground and
vanqush him is found in the result of recent expert
ments with bacterial vaccnes. These vaccines of
bacteria procured from some individual other than
the patient and autogenous vaccnes, prepared from
bacteria found in the patient sown sputum. These
cines contain from twenty million to hundred million
killed bacteria to tie cubic centimeter of normal salt
solution. BY the repeated injection of these doses
of dead bacteria the patients body is stimulated to
produce those complex elements which either dissolve
the living bacteria in the blood and tissues render
them vulnerable the attack of white blood cells
and other substances that neutralze the toxins pro-
duced by pneumococci. These entities termed
"antbodes, and individually have charming names,
such "anttoxins," "preciptins," "opsonins. lag
glutinins, "antiendotoxins, "bacteriolysins," ETC.
Many stock vaccines on the market; but
reluctantly compelled to state that number of
careful experiments have demonstrated that such prep
araons practically inert and without therapeutic
value. Much more encouraging results, however, are
reported from the of autogenous vaccnes not only
in pneumonia, but in other infectious maadies. Even
crops of bos have been known to yield to this line of
treatment.
At present. these remedies can be satisfactorily and in
diligently employed only by those who have had special
training in such methods of treatment There also
in the market number of antipneumococcic serums
prepared after the manner of diphtheria antitoxin
There present evidence that such remedies of
typhod preventve Incubation n with such
is of great value All such remedies autogenous
vaccines must be used in the early stages of disease
otherwise they may prove injurious rather than cura-
tive When the system is overwhelmed with pneumonia
poison vaccines will only add fuel to the fire.
Fresh air comes to being specific treatment
that nne1monia natient cannot catch cold. This is