Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1918-10-19

now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States HygieIc Laboratory will fur
nish more certain way in which iEdi.
viduai cases of this disease can I've
recognized"
What is the course of the diseased
Do people die Of it?
"Ordinariiy, the fever iasts 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 II Is usually the result OF a COM
plicatiOn."
What causes the disease and now Is
II spread7
"BacterlOlOgists who have studied In.
fiuenZa epidemics in the past have
found In many OF the cases very
small rod-shapcd germ called, after It's
discovcrer, Pfpitrer'S bacillus. In other
cases Of apparently the same kind of
disease there were found pncumococci,
the germs Of !obar pneumonia Still
others have been caused by strepto-
cocci, and by others germs with long
names.
NO matter what particular kind of
germ causes the epidemic, ii Is now
believed that Influenza Is always
spread from person To person, the
germs bein3 carried with the air along
with the very small droplets Of mucuS,
expelled by coughing or sneczing,
fOrcCfui talking, and the like by one
who already has the germs Of the dis
ease. They may also he 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 very
severe attack to others"
What should be done by those who
catch the disease7
ut is very important that every per
should 20 home ut once and 60 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 II is highly
desirable that no one he allowed To
sleep In the same room with the pa
tient. In fact, no one but the nurse
should he allowed in the room.
IF there Is cough and srutum or
rvs .isiSss.s,, TihG-Ses and nose. care
should be 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 he given water to
drink, cold compress TO the forehead
and light sponge. Only such medi-
cine should be given rs is prescribed
by the doctor It Is foolish To ask the
druggist to prescribe and may he dan
%erOus TO take the SO-CaIled safe, sure
and harmless remedies advertised by
patent medicine manufacturers.
"lf the patienr Is 50 situated that he
can he attended only by some one who
must also look after others in the fam.
lily, ii 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 we'll
to guard against breathing in danger
al INV, Il g,
fold of gauze or mask while near the
patient"
Will person who has had Influenza
before catch the disease ae7 NJ
ut is well known that an attack of
measles or scarlet fever or smallpox
usually protects n person against an
other attack of the same disease. This
appears not TO be true of Spanish in
fluenzu.' According to newspaper re-
ports the King of Spain suffered ali
attack Of influenza during the cpl
Iemic thirty years ago, and was again
stricken during the recent outbreak In
SPAIN"
How can one guard against lnflu-
enza?
"In guarding against disease of all
kinds, II Is important that the body be
kept strong and able to fight off dis
ease germs. This can be done by huv-
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
connection with diet, It Is well to re-
member that milk Is one of the best
all-around foods obtainable for adults
as well as children. so far ms dis
case like influenza Is concerned, health
authorities everywhere recognize the
very close relation between Its spread
and overcrOwded homes. While 1t Is
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 q 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 breuthed out by
another person.
ut Is especially important to be-
ware Of the person who coughs or
sneezes without covering his mouth
and nose, 1t also follows that one
should keep OFT Of crowds and strffy
places as much as possible, keep
homes. Offices and workshnns we'll mir