Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-20
PNEUMONIA PREVENTION.


association sounds a warning against
pneumonia at this season OF the year,
declaring that the end of winter, far
from bringing termination to the
danger. in reality marks the beginning
of the season when this disease be-
comes an extremely serious cause OF
increase OF mortality. In recent years
this increase has become more ana
mora marked and is all the more
striking because of the decrease IN
deaths from other infectious diseases.
The most important problem before
the medical profession at present az
cordine to the Journal, is the reductlon
of the death rate from pneumohla.
Considering the nature of the disease
and the intense strain which IL imposes
on the heart, it Is probable that the
only hopeful outlook for any consluer-
able reduction in pneumonia mortaiey
is through the prevention OF the us.
ease. The prospect for cure OF II
HAS grown less as the medical preies-
sion has learned more about the dls'
ease. Explaining the causes OF pneu-
monia and the steps that should De
taken to guard against the disease the
Journal says:
While pneumonia is most frequent
during the colder portion OF the year
If is not dependent entirely on low
temnerature The disease occurs at
all seasons and in all climates. 1t does
net work it's greatest ravages In the
colder climates, but Is rather rare IN
the cold of high attitudes and is almost
never known to occur within the arc
tic circle. In spite of all their surfer
ing from cold, Arctic explorers escape
this danger Hence We must assume
that cold acts in conjunction with some
other factor in the production OF the
disease. Pneumonia is favored by
lack OF sunlight and 1t occurs among
those who are much exposed to dust
nr who have to breathe the emanat1ons
from the lungs of other people. Ca
tarrhal processes affecting the air
nassapes prepare the; soil for the I'M
nlantation Of the germ Of pneumonia.
+ is particularly disease of city life
and crowded livino. With our present
knowledge the prospects are hopeful
FOR the control Of pneumonia IN the
fnture through prevention. This IS OF
rnecial Importance to the individual.
The avoidance of pneumonia is largely
a question of personal precautions that
nrevent the development OF the disease
hv lessening the predisposition to it..
Men in middle life, particularly those
above 20. must learn during unsettled
weather to avoid crowds, especially
when fatigued and when they have
been for a. number Of hours without
eating. Late at night, when for any
reasor a meal has been missed, crowds
are dangerous If this lesson could be
GENERALLY learned there would be less
nneumonia among the well-to'do
classes The principal danger comes
IN crowded street-cars, which If posi-
HE should be avoided at rush hours.
II needs to be emphasized that the
danger from overcrowding is greatly
enhanced by fatigue and going without
food. In a word, the prevention or
pneumonia is now much clearer than
T. was Like all the other infectious
diseases. instead Of being more or
loss inevitable dispensation 1t has
come to be recognized as due to GER
tain definite factors which. can be
greatly lessened by public and indi-
vidual hygienic regulations
1nasmuch as pneumonia has dis
n,aced tuberculosis as the disease
causing the greatest number OF deaths
q Is important that every care should
he taken to guard against it, especially
IN the short season OF the year When 1t
takes its heaviest toll