Catoctin clarion., 1918-12-05

Save 100000 Lives.
Washington, D. C.-With the subsd-
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 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 condition
beginning apparently as a slight cold
may 90 on to pneumonia and death.
Although the worst of the epidemic Is
over, there will continue to be large
number of scattered cases, many OF
them mild and unrecOgnlzed, which
Will be danger spots to be guarded
against" The Surgeon General likened
the present situation to that after a
great fire, saying, "NO 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-
tinups the water for hours and even
days, for he knows that there Is dan
ger Of the fire rekindling from smol-
dering embers."
"Then you fear another outbreak Of
influenza?" 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 heavy death toll from pneumo-
mia and other respiratory diseases.
Common Colds Highly Catching.
ut Is encouraging to observe that
people are beginning to learn that or.
dinary coughs and colds are highly
catching and are spread from person
to person by means of droplets OF
germ laden mucus. Such droplets are
sprayed into the air when careless or
ignorant people cough or sneeze with
out covering their mouth and nose. 1t
Is also good to know that people have
learned something about the value Of
fresh air. In summer. when people
are largely out of doors, the respira.
tory diseases Coughs. colds, pneumo.
mia, etc) are infrequent; in the fall,
rs people 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 Clothing Important.
"Still another factor In the produc.
tion of colds, pneumonia and other re-
spirntOry diseases is carelessness or ig.
norance OF the people regarding suit.
able clothing during the seasons when
the weather suddenly changes, sitting
in warm rooms too heavily dressed or,
what Is even more common, especially
among women, dressing so lightly that
windows are kept closed in order to be
comfortably warm. This is very in.
furious practice.
Could Save 100000 Lives.
II believe we could easily save one
hundred thousand lives annually In
the United States II all the people
would adopt the system of fresh air
living followed, for example, in tuber
culosiS sanatoria. There Is nothing
mysterious about it-nO specific medi
cine, no vaccine. The important thing
is right living, good food and plenty Of
fresh air.
Droplet Infection Explained In Pictures.
"The Bureau of Public Health,
Treasury Department, has just issued
a striking poster drawn by Bergman,
the well-known Washington cartoonlst.
The poster exemplitieS the modern
method Of health education. A few
years ago, under similar circumstances,
the health authorities would have Is
sued an official dry but scientifically
accurate bulletin teaching the role Of
droplet infection in the spread Of re-
spiratory diseases. The only ones who
would have understood the bulletin
would have been those who already
knew all about the subject. The man
in the street, the plain citizen and the
many millions who toll for their living
would have had no time and no desire
to wade through the technical phrase
olOgy."
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