Mount Vernon signal., 1918-12-06


portanes Of Suitable ciethIns-ceuId
Save 100000 LIvea
Washington, d. C-With the subsid-
ence Of the epidemic Of influenza the
attention Of health officers is directed
to pneumonia. bronchitis and other
diseases Of the respiratory system
which regularly cause q large number
Of deaths, especially during the winter
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 health Instructions.
"The present epidemic" said Sur.
geon General Blue, "has taught by bit.
ter experience how readily q condition
beginning apparently as slight cold
may 60 on TO pneumonia and death.
Although the worst Of the epidemic Is
over, there Will continue to be q large
number Of scattered cases, mapy Of
them mild and unrecognized. Shich
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
as the flames and visible fire have dis
appeared. On the contrary. he con
tinues the water for hours and even
days, for he knows that there Is dnn.
ger Of the fire rekindling from smOl.
dering embers."
,"Then you fear another outbreak o!
Influenza 2" he was asked. Not neces
sarfly another large epidemic sa d
the Surgeon General, but unless the
neople learn to realize the Seriousness:
Of the danger they will be compelled IL
pay a heavy death toll from pneumo-
ME: and other respiratory diseases.
Common Colds Highly Catching.
ut IL encouraging to observe tina.
people are beginning to learn that or
binary coughs and colds are highly
catching and are spread from person
to person by means e. droplets "
germ laden mucuA Such aroplsts are
+ sprayed into the air when careless or
ignorant people cough or sneezs with
! out covering their mouth and nose. Ii
i Is also good TO know that people have
learned something about tfe value Of
fresh air. In summer. when people
are largiy out Of -ioors. the respira-
tory diseases coughs. colds. pneumo.
+ MIA. ttc.) are infrequent: In tbs fall.
ople begin to remain indoors, the
Respiratory diseases increase: In the
winter, when people are prone to stay
In badly ventilated, overheated- rooms.
the respiratory diseases become very
prevalent
suitable clsthIne Important
"Still another factor tn the produe
/, ton Of colds, pneumonia and other 70
spiratory diseases is carelessness Or e
norance Of the people regarding suit
able clothing during the seasons when
the weather suddenly changes, sitting
In warm rooms too heavily dressed OF.
what II even more common, especially
among women, dressing % lightly that
windows are kept closed In order to b
comfortably warm. This u very IN
furious practice.
! Could Gave 100000 Livsa
Il believe We could easily save sns
hundred thousand lives annually In
the United States II all the people
R would adopt the system Of fresh aiI
1ising followed for example, In tuber
nipsis sanatoria. There II netting
mysterious about it-ne specific nedi
cine, no vaccine. The important thing
is right living. good food and plenty q
fresh air. res, ,,
prePlst Infection ExpiaAaafI u PIesvrsa
A"The Bureau of Publ nnh
Treasury Department. has
striking poster drawn bJ
the well-known Washingto
The poster exemplifies =
method Of health edurat
years ago, under similar cir
the health authorities wOu
sued an official dry but s
accurate bulletin teaching
drOplet infection In the s
spiratOry diseases. The on
would have understood
would have been those:
knew all about the suhjed
In the street, the plain ci
many millions who toll I'd
would have had no time
to wade through the tee
ology."