The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-30
HAY FEVER HERE
National Pest Has Descended
i'm Our Midst.
Sneezers and SnufflerS Are
Back Again.
Ii WAS IMuEMTEn In 1565
IT WAS INVENTED in 1865
Since Then MaIady Has Gained
i'm Prominence.
No Real Cure Is Known by
Local Physicians.

Ka-chOo,
Yep, it's here.
The doctors call it symptom COM
pick of a sudden cessation of the in
hibitory functions of the nerve centers
presiding over the physiological proc
ess of the upper respiratory tract
Whatever that is
The average man. woman and child
recognizes the combination of sneezes,
watery eyes and trickIing nostrils as
hay fever. And hay fever it is. Hun
dreds of Topekans are surviving this
month with only one end in view-a
frost \ frost. according to the pie
beians. will put a stop to hay fever.
Hay fever is national pest 1t
causes more discomfort than sea sick
ness-if that is possible-and it hangs
in a death-like grip to its victim until
Mr. John Frost comes along and with
his wand of sparkling frozen dew and
covering thermometers scares it away.
Included in the nightly prayers of
scores of unfortunate ka-chOOing To-
pelSans is a plea for an early frost
With the temperature lowering around
the 100 mark in August it is only a
straw of hope that extends itself to
the feverish victims. Fully n month
of agony is ahead of them if the
weather mans records are TO be con-
sidered.
Irritated by Weeds and Dust.
The worst feature OF hay fever is that
il occurs every autumn, rain or shine
No wet grounds and postponement
have effect upon hay fever. 1t occurs
coincidentally with the time of the
year when certain plants are in the
inflorescent stage of growth. This al
ways comes in August and lasts from
he early part of the month until late
IN September and sometimes it drags
slowly and cruelty over into October.
Hay fever is known also as rag-weed
fever. goIden-rod fever, rose cold and
autumnal catarrh.
Golden rod, the state flower of Ne
braska. is usually considered "a very
beautiful weed. Imaginative women
will pick it and adorn the mantle
or dining room table with its beauty.
But suggest to u hay-feyer sufferer
golden-rod is a plant of beauty and
adornment and he will sneeze curses at
you
DO / like dolden dod?'' wheezed a
victim today DO II 1 wis all de dol
len dod plants were in deli Yes, sir,
n DELI
And undoubtedly the poor unfortu-
nate wished just exactly what he said.
He deserves all the wishes that can
be held out 10 him-and then some
When a person once becomes satu-
rated with the hay fever gern-in the
II.
have it spasmodically or he will have
1t regularly right on time on some
brassy August morn-no. not Septem-
Der Morn.
II will appear every year after that
the sneezing, snuffiinS. shifting cpl
demic.
And listen-the .iouis.s say there is
no known medicine-either patent or
otherwise-that Will absolutely cure it.
Relief can be given, thanks to the man
who invented it-but the cure lies only
in lodging the climate, and changing
the altitude And even then the cure
is only for that season-anC Ter es-
cape Is necessary when the golden rod
begging to spread its petals of agony
and distress
What Hay-HistOrians Have to Say.
As We have related hav fever was first
invented in 1855. Botallus picked nm a
case then and placed his findings in per
manent FORM The victim died-it isn't
stated that he died of hay fever but it
is known that he is dead (This is written
as note of encoura gem ent to local suf-
ierers) In 16fS another record of hay
fever is revealed and again in 1898. One
OF these cases was the foundation of rose
fever-an attack of asthmatfc nature
caused by the odor of roses in the spring
This spring rose fever is still known in
civilized parts.
Emerging into the eighteenth century it
is apparent that the malady still was
unconquered- case was reported in
1879 and another in 1911. Still another in
lSlS-JuSt luO years ago At that time it
believed that moist heat, sunshine. dust
and fatigue were more potent in its
causation than emanations from dry hav
Then along came DIR. Elliotson of London
in 1898 to first point out the probable
action OF the pollen from certain plants.
The nervous origin of the disease was
first advanced by DR. F'irris in 1867. Not
one physician of the days gone by adj
mitted that there was a cure-and this
pessimistic attitude has been followed
pretty closely to the present time. Ply
Eicians recommend persons living In the
low attitudes TO go to the mountain coun-
try and vice versa. This and few local
reliefs seem to be the only salvation of
the sufferers
In short this is the history of hay fever.
The victims seem to be increasing yearly
likewise the theories and medicines for
it's cure But the Sneezing and facial
discomforts go on just the same. Like
sea-sickness. hay fever is considered