The Coconino sun., 1918-12-13
|. s. HEALTH SERVICE
 ISSUES WARNING
Increase in All Respiratory Dis- eases After the Influenza
 Epidemic Probable.
Influenza Expected to Lurk for Months. How to Guard Against Pneumonia. Common Colds Highly catching--Im- portance of Suitable clothing-couId Save 100000 Lives.

portance of Suitable clothina-couId
 Save 100000 Lives.
 Washington, D. C.-With the subsld. 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 go 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 unrecognzed, which will be danger spots to be guarded against" The Surgeon General likened the present situation to that after 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 tinues 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.
 Tt is encouraging to observe that people are beginning to learn that or dlnary coughs and colds are highly catching and are spread from person to person by means of droplets sof 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. It Is also good to know that people have learned something about the value of fresh air. In summer, when people are largely out ot doors, the respira. tory diseases Coughs. colds, pneumo- nia, etc.) are infrequent; in the fan, as people begin to remain indoors, the respiratory diseases increase; in the winter, when people are prone to stay in badly ventilated, overloaded rooms, the respiratory diseases become very prevalent.
 Suitable Clothing important
 "Still another factor in the produc- | ton of colds, pneumonia and other re- spiratory 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 a very in- | furious practice.
 Could Save 100000 Lives.
 "I believe we could easily save one hundred thousand lives annually in | the United States if 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.
 oropIet Infection Explained in Pictures.
 "The Bureau of Public Health, Treasury Department, has just issued | a striking poster drawn by Bergman, | the well-knOwn Washington cartoonist, | The poster exemrlities 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 Tn the street, the plain citizen and the many millions who toll for their living would have had no time and no desire .o wade through the technical phrase 'logy."
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