The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-15
|HORNADY OUTLINES
 PRECAUTIONS F OR !. COMBATING FLU"
Wanton Risk, of Life to Come in Contact With Disease Without
 Mask

ITO enter room where someone is mask is like jumping overheard at sea without putting on a life preserver," said J. R. Hornady, commissioner of health and education, in discussing the pfecau- tions that should be taken to prevent the spread of the disease which is caus- ing so many fatalities throughout the country.
 While am not a physician con- tinued Mr. Hornady, ''I have watched the developments of this epidemic closely and with the utmost interest, and 1 am con- vinced that the exercise of proper pre- cautions in the home Is the most im- portant thing to be observed at this time. Household epidemics are numerous. In fact 1t is a very common thing for the disease to run through an entire family once a member of the household has the home is due to failure to exercise common sense precautions, and if this difficulty could be overcome, it would make a very great difference in the number of cases and bring about a ma terial reduction in the fatalities.
 RISKING THEIR LIVES
 Members of a household where in- fluenza exists should realize that when they come in contact with the disease without wearing a mask, they are wan tonly rislSing their lives, and the same thing is true if they use any of the dishes or linen that has beensused by the patient until the articles have been thoroughly washed.
 Another life and death matter Is to be cautious and take no chances if the disease does develop. Influenza itself kills very few people, and will prove harmless in 99 cases out of 100 if the pa- tient Is careful and takes proper precau- tions at the outset The primary thing Is to go to bed immediately no matter how strong or robust one may feel. The reason so many splendid specimens of young manhood have fallen during the epidemic Is they overestimated their own strength and underestimated the deadly character of the disease. They felt that they could fight it out, and remained up long after they should have been in bed It is not too much to say that this spirit of optimism in the first stages of the disease, resulting In Iallure 10 go 10 bed promptly and begin treatment, has cost tens of thousands of lives. It ac- counts in a large measure for the great number of fatalities between the ages of q and 40.
 PHYSICIANS DISAGREE "The best physicians and surgeons in America disagree upon some points in combating the mysterious disease, but believe all will agree that the precau- tions suggested in controlling household epdemcs and as taking care of ones- self when stricken, are good, and that vast improvement In the situation will follow their strict observance.
 T believe that one of the things which accounts for the amazingly small death rate among our school children Is the systematic work of education in sanita- tion, and personal hygiene that has been carried on among them, coupled with their willingness to observe instructions, willingness that many adults would do well to emulate.
 Among the children of the school there is little two-line verse that runs something like this:
 "'U Use a handkerchief when you sneeze, And protect others from disease
 That, too, is fine suggestion, and If followed by all who appear in public would help to improve the situation"