Oxford eagle., 1918-10-17

that In this disease tae number o
white corpuscIes shows little or no In
crease above the normal It is possi
BILE that the laboratory investigation
now being made through the Nationa
Research Council and the Unite'
States Hygienlc Laboratory will fur
| nish more certain way In which indi
vidual cases Of this disease can b
recognized"
What ls the ooUrss Of the diseased
/ DO people ole Of it,
Ordinarily. The fever lasts from
three TO four days and the patient re
covers. But while the proportion o.
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 # Is usually the result OF CON-
plicstion."
What causes the disease and how 10
n spread?
~Bacteriologlsts who have studied In
nuenza epidemics In the past have
found In many u the cases very
small rod-shaped germ called, after It's
discoverer. PfeiTers bacillus. In other
cases Of apparently the same kind Of
disease there were found pneumococci,
the germs of Iohar pneumonia. Stil
others have been caused by strepto-
coco. and by others germs with long
names
"No matter what particular kind Of
germ cs uses tie epidemic Il is now
believed that influenza Is always
spread ron person 10 person, the
germs being carried with the air along
with the very small arop.ets q mucus
expelled by coughing or Sueezing.
fo-cefu, talking and the ike 10y one
who already has the germs of the dis
ease %aey may also be carried about
= IRE ~ 70 Tie form u dust coming
frcu 6red mucus. from coughing and
sueazl1E OF from careless people who
sTi; &c The floor and on the sidewalk.
As IL most other itching diseases. a
person who has only a mild attack OF
The disease himself may give a very
severe attack to others"
What should be done BY those who
catch shs 5iseags7
1T : very important that every per
son who becomes sick with Influenza
should 10 home at once and go to bed.
This W.I help keep away dangerous
complications and viii. al the same
time, Keep the patient from scattering
the diss.se far and wide II is highly
desirable that no one be allowed TO
sleep il the same room with the pa
tIeut I'm fact 20 enc but the nurse
should he allowed 90 the room.
IF tlere is cough and sputum or
Of the eyes and nose. care
should De taken that all such dis
sharses are collected on bits OF gauze
II rag er paper napkins and burned.
+ the patient complains of fever aud
aeadaele, he should be given water TO
rink, cold compress TO the forehead
md a light sponge Only such medi-
.ine should be given as is prescribed
" the doctor 1t Is foolish so ask the
Druggist 10 prescribe and may be dam
serous 70 take the so-cailed safe. sure
md harmless remedies advertised by
'atent medicine manufacturers.
IF the patient is so situated that he
an be attended only by some one who
must also look after others in the fam
~, II is advisable that such attendant
wear a wrapper, apron or gown over
he ordinary house clothes while in the
hck room and slip this OF when leav-
ne to look after the others.
Nurses and attendants will do well
o guard against breathing In danger
'us disease germs by wearing a simple
old of gauze OF mask while near the
,atient."
VIII a person who has had Influenza
before catch the disease asaln7
"It is well known that an attack Of
or scarlet fever or smallpox
usually protects a person against an
other attack of the same disease. This
appears not to be true OF Spanish in
fiuenza.' According TO newspaper re-
ports the King Of Spain suffered an
attack OF influenza during the epi-
demic thirty years ago, and was again
during the recent outbreak in
Spain"
How can one guard against Infiu-
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 hav-
ing a 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, 1t is well to re-
member that milk is one of the best
all-around foods obtainable for adults
as we'll as children. So far as a dis
case like influenza is concerned, health
authorities everywhere recognize the
very close relation between its spread
and overcrowded homes. While II 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 a minimum. The value of fresh
air through open windows cannot be
over emphagizpd