Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1918-10-17
The Epidemic Of Grippe.

| NOrC0 CarOllna SCat0 bOarO Ol
Health has issued the following
on the epidemic OF Influenza that
is swt eping over the state:
The state ia in the grip OF an
epidemic OF grippe. The disease
is invading the State from many
quarters. as it prevails through.
out the United States, but the
principal lines of invasion seem
to be FROM the seaports OF Will
mington and Norfolk. Already
the disease has appeared over
the entire State, being very pre-.
valent in the east and having es.
tabllshed itself in a number of
centers in the west. The indica.
tions are that within another
week it will be generally ppva.
lent throughout the State.
The disease started in Spainin
May, this year, involving 80 per
cent Of the population of that
country within a short time. Al.
ready the disease has invaded
and practically passed through
Europe. The rapidity with which
it travels and the large per cent
Of the population involved indi.
cate (1) the exceptionally con-
tagious nature of the disease,
and (2) that with it the public
health measures have little in.
Auence. The only good fortune
attending the present epidemic
in North Carolina is that it will
probably exhaust it's supply OF
susceptlbles before its dangero US
ally, pneumonia, arrives in De-
cember, January and February.
"I'he disease is due to spit
swapping Spit is swapped or
exchanged in the following ways:
(a) By coughing or sneezing into
the air instead of into a handker.
chief. In open coughing or suee-
zing, an Infectious and invisible
spray is thrown several yards in.
to the air and floats for thirty to
sixty minutes. The greater the
spraying, as in the psychic waves
of coughing that pass through
assemblagies, moving picture
shows, churches, and othergath.
erlngs, the denser and more po-
tent the Infectious atmosphere;
(b) by soiling the hands with
spit (very small. invisible ANTS.
and transferring the spit to the
hands OF another person in hand
clasps, or by handling something
as a door knob or some article
from which a second person gets
the minutest amount of spit; (c
; by using the common roller tow
ell communicating and being con
:. tamlnated; (d) by using common
/. drinking dippers, common drink
! ing cups, and common spit-in
fected Waterfront a common bucl
! > ct; (e) by using anything othe
than paper cups, ice cream sau
: GERS, and spoons dlsinfected il
K. vislbly boiling waterat soda foul
, tains. A great many soda foun
tains maintain a small collection
, OF water practically hidden b.
meath the counter or sla b, wher
!. the spit germs ola town are pool
ed and re.distributed. Let an,
person, il he thinks it possible
try to work out in his mind
= more effective method for b
:. people OF a town or will age t.
!. exchange spit, the very micro
scopic amounts necessary for thi
n powerful contagion, than is mair
q tanned by O great many druI
% stores, and one will realize the ir
+ fictitious protency OF unsterelize
# glasses at soda fountains.
!. As for steri'i2ed glasses, vel
r. how do you know they are steri
lied? Take no chance. Demand
!. paper cup, even if it.costs 20
r. more.
n DONTS.
% 81. Don't associate with IL
r. impoli:e and careless, who spra
Y. your air with their spit.