Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03
HOW TO AVOID CATCHING
SPINAL MENINGITIS
State Board OF Health Issues Special
Bulletin on Simple Pre-
cautions.
MANY PEOPLE ARE CARRIERS
Same Conditions That Make One
Susceptible to Pneumonia and TIL
bcrculosis Prcdisposc to Mcningi-
iS-Prevails Chiefly i'm Winter.

The appearance in several sections
OF the state Of epidemic cc-cbro- spinal
meningitis has led the state Dcpurt-
mcnt of Health 10 issu" iurthe" warn
inrs relative 10 tho methods by which
II Is spread, and to show how that. by
obedience TO simple rules. this inicc-
ttOUS disease may bc controlled. II "a
fel; highly desirable that every citizen
a"auaint himself with the means by
which the discas" is transmitted aud
tho best way To combat it's spread.
This disease is due 10 n microscopic
plant. or germ. called The meninS-
o"occus This germ grows practically
only in the body of the human being
ana dies within II short time after
leaving 1t. Many people arc "carricrs'
that IL. have the germs In the mouth
and nose. but do not develop any
symptoms. The number OF people who
arc susceptible to the disease is small.
only about ono in ten. but the large
number Of carriers make IL essential
that every one should be cautious lest
he convey the disease to others while
he himself shows no signs Of Illness.
!, is not Understood why som" poo
pic are susceptible and others are not.
although il is likely that IT is caused
By lowered rcsistauc" as result OF
lack OF proper nour!shmcnt. exposure
20 cold or fatigue. IN Otncr words,
The same conditions which render on"
susceptible 10 pncumo1ia and tubor-
cuiosis prcdispOsc 10 meningitis. Like
pneumonia. the disease prevails chiefly
I'm winter.
TEN TIMES As MANY
CARRIERS As CASES
Since there arc ten times many
carriers az cases II ia evident that to
quarantine the cases is not sufficient
to prevent an cpid emiC Of tho diScas
As always. however when dealing with
II disease caused by q living organism.
study "f it's habjts gives TIL" clue 10
its conquest. The mcningoc0ccus dies
soon after leaving the body, and only
leaves the body in tho secretions OF the
mouth and nose. Therefore. IN order
to spread the disease. the fresh sccre-
lions from the mouth or nose OF a case
or carrier must enter the body %!
another person. This is usually &C
colnplshed by the common drinking
cup. by putting pencils. fingers or other
things into the mouth. or by careless
coughing or sneezing towards another
person.
In order 10 control tho disease. every
one must exert the utmost personal
care. Nothing unnecessary must be put
into the mouth. and thus POSSIBLY con
tamnate Il with germs. The mouth OF
nose must he carefully covered when
SncczrG or coughing. or the head mus!
nc turned we'll downward. so 10
prevent tho sccrctions dying INTO The
air in fine spray which may readily
reach another person.
Thatthes TWO rules assist in tho con-
,rol OF disease received strong evidence
last year. Plncards illustrating the
rules were distributed through the
schools, and the teachers were re-
nucsIch 70 post them and lecture upon
them Many teachers we're Interested
in tho work and enforced tn. rules
among their pupils. II is considered
NOR" thar a coincidence that. after
running for several Years at about the
sam. rate. the number of cases Of
diph,hcria in NirEinia Suddenly drcppsd
81 per cent Dbcdicuc" - these two
rules Viii also prove effective in the
control or diphthcria. scarlet fever. SOY"
throat. munps. bad colds, grin tom
sili,is. tuberculosis. measles whoopins
cough and pneumonia.