The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-03
SAY ILLNESS MAY
FOLLOW The FLOOD
State Health Commissioner
Urges Precautionary
Measures.
BY DR.. J. NJ. HURRY
State Health Commissioner.

OF course, sickness only attends
conditions causative of sickness. If,
therefore, the flood leaves behind I'M
sanitary conditions, then illness will
certainly follow.
We must reckon all conditions I'M
sanitary which induce anxiety, worry
and unusual nervous strain, as we'll as
those which increase filth or aid in
distributing disease causing germs.
Simple Inconvenience and hardships
If within the breaking point, and if
they are met bravely, will increase
strength and health. Those whose
homes have been washed away and
who have lost all their household eff
fects. whose sole possessions left are
the clothes they have on their backs,
who have no homes and do not know
where to look for protection and food,
will certainly be excused If they grow
nervous, become depressed and sick
ness overtakes them.
| The mud left after the flood sub
sides will not of itself cause sickness
1t certainly will give dreary and re-
pellant cast to everything it covers, but
and the bottom lands it settles upon
will be made richer thereby. The des-
truction of rats and other vermin will
be very great, and this will be a bless
ing.
| 1t appears, therefore. in reviewing
the matter that so far as sickness of
general character is concerned ws
hunger, mental depression, with it's
nervousness and worry; grief over loss
of possessions and the present sur.
roundings OF the flood victims
Malaria is inoculated into US by mo-
squitoes, and as at this season there
are no mosquitoes, this disease need
not be feared. Cough, colds, grip and
pneumonia are caused by specific
germs which are always found where
foul air exists. All who breathe fou1
Tor overused air take there germs in
to their bodies, but only those sue
cumb who are "undertone," and this
is how and why the food sufferers are
liable to suffer from coughs, colds
grip and pneumonia. Their physical
and mental sufferings will most likely
| lessen strength and resistance, and
thus cause "undertone" Then il
they come into crowded places, where
the air is bad, down they will go with
some one or even all of the maladies
! named To prevent the flood sufferers
from having pneumonia and other res
piratory troubles we must see to il
that the mental and physical shock
already experienced is not supplement-
ed by a second shock of cold hunger
and foul air. In other words, the good
people of Muncie must contribute lib
orally and provide not only food
clothing, and sanitary shelter. but
must also do all that may be done to
bring mental encoura cement and com
| fort
! The flood will not bring intestinal
diseases. for they are caused by pol
luted or poisonous foods and water
II. therefore. the foods supplied are
unpolluted. free from decomposition
products (ptomaine>, and we'll cooked
and the water drank is unpolluted,
| neither typhoid fever nor diarrhoeal
diseases will appear.
The conclusion is that with reason.
causes Of pneumonia and other res
piratory troubles. and also with reas.
enable care to avoid the always pres
ent causes OF typhoid fever and other
| intestinal troubles, we need not fear
the coincident appearance of sickness
with the food.