Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-02-18
HOW To SAFEGUARD
AGAINST PNEUMONIA
Only Sure Protection Against
This Dangerous Disease

the NSoI5Ad OldlS bpdIu VI t1Sdllu, -
to keep the health and physical con
dition of the body up to such a stand
ard as will resist its attacks.
Among the mysteries of medicine
pneumonia is pre-eminent 1t was
known to Hippocrates and the old
Greek physicians by whom it was con
founded with pleurisy Modern know
ledge of it dates from 1919.
Pneumonia which, better than tu-
berculosis, fits John Bunyan's Cap
tain of the men of DEATH is one of
the most widespread and fatal of all
the acute infectious diseases. In Eng
land and Wales in 1903, there were
40,725 deaths from it. United States
census reports show that in 1900 1861
deaths out of every 1000 were due to
pneumonia. In the larger cities pneu-
monia is more prevalent and fatal
in 1904, out of 42,700 deaths in New
York city, $500 We're due to pneumo-
mia.
Children up to the sixth year, are
predisposed to pneumonia; the dang
er then diminishes up to fifteen, then
with each decade increases. 1t is
more frequent again in old age.
Pneumonia is due to specific and
well recognized germ, which is wide
ly present and many be found in the
mounths and nasal passages of heal
thy persons, but lives only a short
time outside the body. A person may
acquire these germs through associa-
ton with case of pneumonia, or CIV.
en- from healthy person who harbors
them. The germ may be found present
in other diseases, such as peritonsis,
and it may attack other organs as the
spleen and the kidneys.
Causes Inducing Pneumonia.
Pneumonia is most frequent in per-
sons exposed to hardships and cold.
Alcoholism or habitual excessive drink
ing of stimulants, is perhaps the most
potent of the pred.sposing factors;
though it is true that robust and heal
thy men are frequently attacked. The
germ seems to be ready and waiting
for weak point of attack; when the
body is weakened by other diseases,
or by physical injury or by dissipa-
ton, the bars are let down, usually by
exposure to cold or wet, the germ gets
busy and pneumonia follows. A cold
has nothing to do with it except that
it may be factor in lowering the
resistance.
In lobar pneumonia the disease may
affect one lobe of one lung; it may
attack the entire lung or it may at
tack both lungs. This latter Is double
pneumonia. The germs lodge in the
walls of the lung, and form fibrinous
or semi-solid mass. 1t occurs more
often in the right lung. The danger
of death is not so much from the
congestion of the lungs, as from toxa-
emia, or poisoning, from substances
thrown off by the germs and distrl-
buted over the system. Broncho-
pneumonia is an Inflammation of the
bronchial tubes, and its symptoms
and effects are similar to those OF Ia
bar pneumonia. 1t occurs more ire
ouently in children, especially children
under two years: and then, in older
persons. I4obar pneumonia is always
accompanied by pleurisy and fredu-
emily occurs with other diseases such
as typhoid, meningitis and others.
Mortality is Large.
Pneumonia kills more than diph-
iberia and even outTanks tuberculosis
as cause of death The mortality
varies from twenty to forty per cent.
of those attacked. Twenty-Five per
cent. of those who have it once, have
second attack.
The disease will usually begin
abruptly with severe chill lasting
fifteen to thirty minutes; fever
develops at the same time and grows
acute. rising to 104 or 105. Other
symptoms are headache and general
pains severe pain in the side; a
painful cough, flushed face, FEVER
blsters" on the lips or nose; rapid
respiration and a pulse that is full and
bounding
Within seven to ten days the crisis
comes. and this is the most peculiar
and mysterious feature of the disease.
The fever drops suddenly within
twelve hours to normal or below, and
The patient passes from condition OF
extreme distress to one of compare
tive comfort. Notwithstanding this
fact there has been no change what
ever in the interior of the lung or IN
the bronchial tube where the conges-
ton and inflammation remain unabat-
ed Death may supervene before the
crisis comes: it may follow the Crisis
when the patient seems on the road
TO recovery, because of some indis'
erection. it may come when the crisis
is delayed. The disease is usually
accompanied by a delirum in which
the patients unless watched, are la
Bile to do themselves bodily harm.
There is no specific treatment for
pneumonia; it must run its course.
The patient should be kept in a
wer.lighted and well ventilated room; ,
the hygiene of the sick room should
no about the same as In the case OF