Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-28
HEALTH AND HAPPINESS
BY DE. LEONARD KEENE HIRsHBERG.
A. B.. NJ. A.. NJ D. Johns Hopkins).

Fresh Air and Cold Baths Often Prevent
Pneumonia.
There will be 100000 cases of
pneumonia in the United States this
winter. Do you expect to escape Its
ravages? OF these two hundred thou
sand over fifty Thousand will die.
Statistics carefully kept for nearly a
thousand years prove this.
The ancient Greeks, especially Hip
pocrates, described pneumonia very
nearly as we know it today. It is a
malignant Inflammation of the lungs.
due to minute organisms or germs.
These blockade the air passages,
poison the breathed air and weaken
the heart.
There are several forms of pneu-
monia, but the common type is pro-
duced by the tiny shot-shaped germ,
the pneumococcus. Under the micro
scope this is not a tiny animal, but
q vegetable parasite.
Treatment Of Pneumonia.
Pneumonia is commonly associated
with cold weather. In point of fact
it is most prevalent in winter, but it
Is a disease of all seasons and all
climates. Wherever you find civilized
beings there you will find pneumonia.
1t is at it's worst in January, Is
August. A sudden chill, however, In
summer, is just as apt to end In pneu-
monia as a sudden chill at Christmas.
At the start the symptoms are much
like those Of severe cold" or infiu-
enza. A sharp chill is commonly fol-
lowed by high fever. Then appears
a darting pain in the chest, a dry
cough with blood-stained sputum
very infectieus), and quick, catchy
breathing.
Pneumonia, when uncomplicated, is
a self limited disease. The attack
cannot be shortened. The patient
must be placed in light, airy, well
ventilated room and plenty of water,
lemonade and easily digested food,
such as egg alburnen, milk, and meat
juice given to him. Modern physi-
clans employ ice packs to the head
and chest to reduce the fever and re-
lieve the pain. Minor devices are
used to alleviate the cough and sup
port the strength of the sufferer.
Against the pneumococcus, itself, ma
ture must still wage her war unaided
But it is often possible for the alert
doctor to lend a helping hand to the
overburdened heart.
A Word About Underwear.
Once upon a time whiskey was ex-
tensively used as a stimulant, but
progressive physicians now hold that
its employment is dangerous, and
other measures are applied. Fresh
(but warmed) air, and plenty of II,
is the thing most needed. Tents and
hospital roofs are the best places to
bring a pneumonia patient to health
In the old days persons afflicted
with pneumonia were imprisoned in
| hot, close rooms, and all sorts o.
powerful drugs were taken. Today
good nursing is known to be superior
| to drugs.
! Experiments are now being made
with a new vaccine for pneumonia.
The vast technical difficulties In rs
way of predicting a pneumonia al
toxin has led to the injection of r. =
ventive doses of killed pneur7 Ia
germs, the pneumonococci. There
seems to be some promise at last O.
a. conquest of one Of our dread
maladies.
The man who hardens himself BY
cold baths and cold rub downs II
| the morning, and by wearing rationa
clothes is far less apt to fall victim
than the man who battles in hot wa
ter and bundles himself up IL
absurdly heavy underclothes. Sailors
and savages seldom have pneumonia