Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-10-17


now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States HYGIENE Laboratory will fur
nish a more certain way in which indi-
vidual cases of this disease can be
recognized"
What is the course of the disease?
Do people die of it?
Ordinarily, the fever lasts from
three to four days and the patient re-
covers. But while the proportion OF
deaths in the present epidemic has
generally been low, in some places the
outbreak has been severe and deaths
have beer numerous When death oc
ours it is usually the result of a COM
plication."
What causes the disease and how Is
it spread?
Psychologists who have studied in
fuenza epidemics in the past have
found in many of the cases a very
Small rod-shaped germ called, after Its
dfscoYerer, Pfeiffer's bacillus. In other
cases of apparently the same kind of
disease there were found pneumococci,
the germs of lobar pneumonia. Still
others have been caused by strepto-
cocci, and by others germs with long
names.
mo matter what particular kind of
germ causes the epidemic, ii is now
believed that influenza is always
! spread from person to person, the
germs being carried with the air along
with the very small drOplets of mucus,
expelled by coughing or sneeZing.
forceful talking and the like by one
| who already has the germs of the dis
| ease. They may also be carried about
| in the air in the form Of dust coming
! from dried mucus, from coughing and
! sneezing, or from careless people who
! spit on the floor and on the sidewalk
| AS in most other catching diseases, a
! person who has only a mild attack of
! the disease himself may give very
| severe attack to others"
What should be done by those who
catch the disease?
1T is very important that every per
! son who becomes sick with influenza
]
! This will help keep away dangerous
! complications and will, at the same
! time, keep the patient from scattering
! the disease far and wide. 1t is highly
| desirable that no one be allowed to
sleep in the same room with the pa
/ tient. In fact, no one but the nurse
! should be allowed in the room.
| nr
running of the eyes and nose, care
! should be taken that all such dis
! charges are collected on bits Of gauZe
! or rag or paper napkins and burned
| If the patient complains of fever and
| headache, he should be given water to
! drink, cold compress to the forehead
! and a light sponge. Only such medi-
| cine should be given as is prescribed
| by the doctor 1t is foolish to ask the
druggist to prescribe and may be dam
gerous to take the so-called safe, sure
and harmless remedies advertised by
patent medicine manufacturers.
"If the patient is so situated that ne
can be attended only by some one who
must also look after others in the fam
lily, it is advisable that such attendant
wear wrapper, apron or gown over
! the ordinary house clothes while in the
sick room and slip this off when leay-
| ing to look after the others.
| Nurses and attendants will do we'll
| to guard against breathing in danger
! Gus disease germs by wearing a simple
! fold Of gauZe or mask while near the
patient"
Will person who has had influenza
before catch the disease again2
at is we'll known that an attack Of
measles or scarlet fever or smallpox
usually protects a person against an
other attack of the same disease. This
appears not 20 be true of Spanish in
! f1uenza' According to newspaper re-
ports the King of Spain suffered an
attack Of influenza during the cpl
demic thirty years ago, and was again
stricken during the recent outbreak in
Spain"
How can one guard against infIu-
enza?
'In guarding against disease of all
| kinds, it is important that the body be
kept strong and able to fight off dis
J ease germs. This can be done by hav-
! ing a proper proportion of work, play
| and rest, by keeping the body we'll
| clothed, and by eating sufficient whole
some and properly selected food. In
! connection with diet it is we'll to re-
member that milk is one of the best
! all-around foods ebtainable for adults
| as well as children. So far as a dis
/ ease like influenza is concerned, health
authorities everywhere recognize the
very close relation between its spread
| and overcrOwded homes. While it is
not always possible, especially in
! times like the present, to avoid such
overcrowding, people should consider
effort to reduce the home OyercroWd-
| ing to minimum. The value of fresh
! air through open windows cannot be
! over emphasized.
when crowding is unavoidable, as
| in street cars, care should be taken to
| keep the face so turned as not to in
| hale directly the air breathed out by
another person.
1T is especially important to be-
ware of the person who coughs or
sneeZes without covering his mouth
| and nose. 1t also follows, that one
should keep out Of crowds and stuffy
| places as much as pOssibles keep
homes, offices and workshops we'll
Z i