The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1918-12-13


tavs 100000 livsA
Washington. d. C.-with the subsid
ence OF the epidemic Of influenza tn,
attention Of health officers Il directed
to pneumonia, bronchitis and sthe,
diseases OF the respiratory system
which regularly cause a large number
of deaths. especially during the white,
season. According to Rupert Blue
Surgeon General Of the United States
Public Health Service, these diseases
will be especially prevalent this win.
ter unless the people are particularly
careful to obey hearth Instructions
The present epidemic" said Sur.
geon General Blue, has taught by bit.
ter experience how readily q condition
beginning apparently as q slight cold
may 90 on 10 pneumonia and death.
Although the worst Of the epidemic Ii
over, there will continue to be q large
number OF scattered cases, MANY OF
them mild and unrecognized, which
Will be danger spots TO be guarded
against" The Surgeon General likened
the present situation to that after a
great fire. saying, mo FIRE chief who
understands his business stops playing
the hose on the charred debris as soon
az the flames and visible fire have dis
appeared. On the contrary, he con.
tinues the water for hours and even
days, for be knows that there Is dan
ger Of the fire reminding from smol-
dering embers."
Then you fear another outbreak Of
infuenza?" he was asked. "Not neces-
sarily another large epidemic" said
the Surgeon General, but unless the
people learn to realize the seriousness
OF the danger they will be compelled to
pay 4 heavy death toll from pneumo-
mia and other respiratory diseases.
Common ceids Highly Catching.
at II encouraging 10 observe that
people are beginning to learn that or
binary coughs and colds are highly
catching and are spread from person
TO person by means Of dropiets OF
germ laden mucus. Such dropiets are
Sprayed into the air when careless or
ignorant people cough or sneexe with
out covering their mouth and nose. II
IL also good to- know that people have
learned something about the value of
fresh air. In summer, When people
are largely out, Of doorA the respira-
tory diseases Coughs. colds, pneuu.o-
mia, etc) are inftequent; In the fall,
as people begin to remain indoors, the
respiratory diseases increase; In the
winter. when. people are prone 80 stay
In badly ventilated. overheatsd rooms
the respiratory diseases become very
prevalent
Suitable Clothing impsrtin.
>Srill another factor In the p-odue-
ton of.tolds, pneumonia and other re-
spirategy diseases II carelessness or .is.
noranSs OF the people regarding suit
able Clothing during the seasons when.
the weather suddenly changes. sitting
In warm rooms too heavily dressed or,
what 10 even more common, especially
among women, dressing so lightly that |
are kept closed in order to be |
warm. This Is Q very In
furious practice. S |
Could Save 10000 Ilvss
Il bsiieve We could easily save one
hundred thousand lives annually In
The United States II all the people
would adopt the system of fresh air
ivins followed. for example, In tuber-
:ulosis sanatOria. There II nothing
Mysterious about it-no SPECIFIC medi-
'ine. no vaccine. The important thing
s right living, good food and plenty Of
resh ai..
PROPHET infection Explained In Pletursa
The Bureau Of Public Health,
treasury Department, has Just issued
striking poster drawn by Berryman,
he wsil.known Warrington cartoopist
ne poster ihes the modern
aethod OF heald ducation. A few
ears ago. under similar circumstances.
he health authorities would have Is
ued an Official dry but scientifically
ccurate bulletin teaching the role Of
roplet infection In the spread Of re-
piratory diseases. The only ones who
'ould have understood the bulletin
'ould have been those who already
new all about the subject The man
the street, the plain citizen and the
lany millions who toll for their living
'ouid have had no time and no desire
wade through the technical phrase
l0Cy."