Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1918-10-30

recognized" 1on os
What Is the course Of the d,ss,sa,
10 people die of it?
"~ordfnarily, the fever 1asts fror,
'nree TO four days and the natiant 20.
covers. But while the ~nronor+ion ~
ueaths 1 the present epidemic has
eeneial!y oeen low, in some places the
oulofeak has been severe and deaths
nave peen numerous. When death ~
ours 1t is usually the result Of q corn.
plication." 0oAl-
What causes the disease and now Ia
1t spread?
oacter1ologists who have studied in
nuehza epidemics In the past have
round in many Of the cases p vo,.r
ehall rod-shaped germ called, after IFS
"~lSFoVerer, Pfeiffer's bacillus. In other
eases OF apparently the same kind Of
u'sease there were found pneumococci
tne germs of lobar pneumonia. Still
others nave been caused by streDto-
coccl, and by others germs with lone
names.
mo matter what particular kind Of
germ causes the epidemic, it is now
peileNeo that Influenza is always
spread from person to person. the
germs being carried with the air along
win the very small droplets of mucous.
expelled by coughing or sneezing.
lorceful talking, and the like by one
VINO already has the germs of the dis
ease. IhpV NOV o1Sp hn =, ,;,. oI>,,4
IN the air in the form of lust coming
from dried mucous, from coughing and
sleezlng, 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 a very
severe attack to Others"
What should be done by those who
catch the disease?
1T is very important that every ner-
son who becomes sick with influenza
should-go home at once and go to bed.
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.
If there is cough and sputum OF
running Of the eyes and nose, care
should be taken that all such dis
charges are collected on bits of gauZe
o" rag or paper napkins and burned:
If the patient complains of fever and
headache, he should be given water to
drink. a cold compress to the forehead
and a light sponge. Only such medi-
zine should be Eiven as is prescribed
by the doctor. 1t is foolish to ask the
druggist to prescribe and may be dan
gerous to take the s0-called safe, sure
and harmless remedies advertised by
patent medicine manufacturers.
If the patient is 50 situated hat he
"an he attended only by some one Who
must also look after others in the am
lN, it is advisable that such attendant
year a wrapper, apron or gown e
he ordinary house clothes while in the
lick room and slip this off when leaV-
ing to look after the others.
"N,urses 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 a person who has had influenza
before catch the disease again?
st 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 to be true of Spanish in
fuenZa.' 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?
SIN guarding against disease of all
kinds, it is important that the body be
kept strong and able to fight Off dis
ease germs. This can be done by hav-
ing a proper proportion OF work, pla
and rest, by keeping the body wen
clothed. and by eating sufficient whole
some and properly selected food, In
connection with diet, it is well to re-
member that milk is One OF the best
~all-ar0und foods 0btainable for adults
as we'll 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 1t is
not always possible, especially In
times like the present, to avoid such
o~vercrowding, people should consider
the health danger and make every
effort to reduce the home oVercroWd-
ing TO a 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
keen the face so turned as not to in
hale directly the air breathed out by
another person.
at is especially important to pc
ware of the person who coughs OF
sneezes without covering his mouth
and nose. It also follows thai one