The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-29
POVERTY AIDS
 PNEUMONIA
Dr. Beverly Robinson Shows How Tenement DWelIerS
 Are Handicapped

Pneumonia is and probably always will be one of the most dreaded Of all the acute diseases. although a fairly large number of physicians have re- ported in the last two years good re suits from vaccine and serum treat ment. The ailment. however. contin- mes to be called the natural end of the old That there is great diff ference in the circumstances connect ed with the care of pneumonia pa- tients who are well-to-do and those who are tenement dwelIers is brought out in an editorial article written TOT The New ork Medical Journal by pr Beverly Robinson of New York city
 HPne1monia with the poor and pneumonia with the rich are two dif- ferent stories; with the former, pad and insufficient air. food, and light; little or no intelligent care frequent 1v and when sought, not always the best medical advice. Alas, the pity of it! With the weil-to-do good air, the good food, plenty of light. good nursing. and competent medical at tention, when required. So far then,
 ssWith the poor pneumonia is us uaIly evident when the physician makes his first call. Immediately. he TnoWs the situation. What can he. what should he do? Simply his duty as he may; alone. acting the triple role for hours, Or days, ot doctor. nurse and best of friends. True. to- day. happily, he may often seek in structed help from a nearby settle nent and soon it may be an expert enced head and hand are with him. efficiently seconding his well-directed
 Can doctor and nurse change then and there wretched home conditions Evidently not. In mental vision the hospital ward looms up; shall the pa %hRTa9 Think what Ii means! Great nervous shock to the patient. mental at first. physical soon. Tears and lamentations from most De- Ioyea ones, to withstand which calls fTonS the greatest control from an in brain and body, a prey to previous overwork. privations. self-sacr1flce TOT those dependent on him.
 .sAs a rule the attack dates from the second third fourth, or even fifth day. The best we can do, if transport is determined. is to call an ambulance. put the patient on a StreJcher. anu drive rapidly through noisy, cold bad " naved streets to the hospital. There, not infrequently. elapse many anX1- ous waiting moments before the pa tient is carried Or wheeled to ward he'd The outlook is that of strange faces and stranger surroundings. win he can he. recover? Sometimes he does thanks to the house physician and the trained nurse who lavish care tenderness, knowledge. in the
  many die who might recover. even in the tenements. wtre they not nov ed too late from home.
 ''In estimating what is best to do, here. as always, character must gov ern doctor and nurse. By CnaracGE mean self-sacrifice, aitrutstic ser vice fc- ecotherE need VVH@1 s@H tG predominant, the best neither can rsC ever will be accornpiished To charac- ter. however. must be added common sense. experience, practical Knowledge.
 ssThese are found as Often among reIat lively unknown practi' toners as among those who are famous. When one seeks aid, especially in pneu- monia. beware trusting mere science, rather than skill, the fruit of the wis est empiricisna Such wisdom comes solely from lifelong service to others. In it is the highest expression Of our noble art"