Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-10-17

States Hygienic Laboratory will fur
nish more certain way in which indii-
yidual cases Of; this disease can be
recognized
What e the course o. the dlsease7
%. people die Of 1T Z
"ordinarfly, 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 been numerous When death oc-.
ours It is usually the result Of q COM
plication."
What causes the disease and how 10
Il spread7 s.lss
"Bacteriologists who have studied IN
huenza epidemics in the past have
found in many Of the cases a very
Small rod-shaped germ called, after its
discoverer, 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
gem causes the epidemic, It 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 mild attack of
the disease himself may give a very
severe attack to Others"
What should be done by those who
catch the disease?
lit Is very important that every per-
son who becomes sick with Influenza
should go home at once and 30 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 It's highly
desirable that no one be allowed to
sleep in the same room with the pa
lStient. In fact, no one but the nurse
should be allowed in the room.
sIf there is cough and sputum or
running of the eyes and nose, care
should he 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, u cold compress to the forehead
and light sponge. Only such medi-
cine should be given us is prescribed
by the doctor 1t Is foolish to ask the
druggist to prescribe and may be dan-
gerous to take the so-called safe, sure
and harmless remedies advertised by
patent medicine manufacturers.
IF the patient is SO situated that he
can be attended only by some one who
must also look after others in the fam
| fly, 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 leav-
| ing to look after the others.
| Nurses and attendants will do well
| to guard against breathing in danger
+ Gus disease germs by wearing simple
| fold of gauze or mask while near the
4 patient"
| Will person who has had influenza
before catch the disease again2
ut is we'll known that an attack of
J measles or scarlet fever or smallpox
usually protects 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
| denic thirty years ago, and was again
stricken during the recent outbreak in
\ SPAIN"
How can one guard aoainst influ.
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 hay-
ing proper proportion of work, play
and rest, by keeping the body well
| clothed, and by eating sufficient whole.
some, and properly selected food. In
I connection with diets 1t is well to re-
member that milk is one of the best
all-around foods obtainable for adults
4 as we'll as children. So far as & dis
ease like influenza Is concerned, health
authorities everywhere recognize the
very close relation between its spread
and overcrowded homes. While 1t is
1 not always possible, especially In
times like the present, to avoid such
overcrowding, people should consider
the health danger and make every
effort to reduce the home overcrowd-
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
4 another person.
ut is especially important to be.
ware of the person who coughs OF
sneezes without covering his mouth
and nose. 1t also follows that one
should keep out Of crowds and stuffy
places as much as possible, keep
homes, offices and workshops well
aired, spend some time out of doors
4 each flav syua III RI u,ork Tot a III v,ro/ =,