Evening star., 1916-07-23
Head of National Prevention
Association Tells of the
Causes of MaIady.
WIND-CARRIED POLLENS
DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH
Plants Must Have Two Examina-
tions to Determine Class-Au-
tummal Attack Most General,

The season for autumnal hay fever is
coming. The following general infor-
nation which may prove of benedt to
sufferers from hay fever has been COM
piled by Prof. ". Scheppegrell, presi-
dent Of the American Hay Fever Pre-
vention Association. in a recent state
ment:
Until 1870" says Prof. Scheppegrell.
when the relationship of pollen to the
disease was established. the develop
ment of the disease about the time of
the hay harvest led to the belief that
this was the cause of the trouble, and
people thus believing gave it the name
it now bears.
Hay fever is often mistaken for an
ordinary cold because the symptoms
of the two are very similar in the
early stage. 1t is attended with sneez-
ing, blocking of the nostrils due to the
swollen mucous membrane. watery dis
charge from the nose. and slight
elevation of the temperature. The
difficulty of nasal breathing. which is
usually present. is aggravated when
Many cases are coupled with asthma.
increasing the suffering of the patient.
Immediate relief is experienced when
the supply of pollen is diminished or
at certain periods of the year.
The only pollens which can cause
hay fever are those carried by the wind
and are consequently in the air. The
weeds which cause the disease are diff
cult to distinguish because they must
go through two examinations before
being pronounced hay fever weeds.
These examinations are the medical
and the botanical. Many plants do not
enter the hay fever class because they
have failed to pass one of the tests.
AS result of the omission of the botan-
ical test, many harmless plants have
been placed on the hay fever list, such
as the rose and the goldenrod. To
pass the botanical test, the weed must
be very numerous, wind-pollinated with
inconspicuous flowers and great guam
titles of pollen.
List of Dangerous Weeds.
THE following weeds have undergone
both tests and been pronounced as dan
gerous: Common ragweed, giant rag
weed. western ragweed, false worm
wood. marsh elder, western elder. care
less weed. cocklebur. false ragweed
and yellow dock. These are the most
common carriers of the disease. To
the common and giant ragweed. be-
cause of the lightness of their pollen.
has been attributed the cause OF so
per cent of all cases of autumnal hay
fever in localities where those weeds
are to be found.
majority of the cases in the United
States and a most careful study OF
a means of eradication of these weeds
will be necessary.
tivated forms. is responsible for numer-
GUS cases Of the disease. The majority
of weeds having an abundance of wind
borne pollen may cause the disease to
,,,,i$Iv tc oy,1y an
parent the freedom from attack being
due to insufficient exposure. Hay fever
Is common in children, but is not gen.
orally recognized as such. being mistaken
for colds"
First Preventive Measures.
'.Thus far no treatment has given sat
isfactery results. although vaccines and
immunizing injections of pollen extracts
have been tried. The first step in the
work of prevention is to educate the
public in the responsibility of pollens in
causing hay fever. Several methods may
be used in the eradication OF the hay
fever weeds. They are careful cultiva-
ton, keeping them down by grazing cat
tie and cutting them down before they
reach the Towering stage
THE warfare against weeds has been
considered so important in many states
that they have enacted laws to control
them In many cases this was entirely
successful. The ragweed, however. has
not been specified in any of these laws.
as it is recent discovery that they are
dangerous as the cause Of hay fever.
..The following states have anti-weed
laws: Connecticut, Idaho. Illinois. Michi-
gan. Missouri, North Dakota. South
Dakota. Oregon. Ohio. Pennsylvania.
Alabama, Arizona. California, Kentucky,
south Carolina and Washington Such
legislation in the remaining states is to
be accomplished through the education
of the public in the need of such laws
NOT only from an agricultural stand
.noint. but also from a sanitary stand
point"