The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1918-11-14
that IN this disease the number Of

BE that f..n laDNiit|ti,' III 49, '-
now being made thron"b ID"
Research Council and the Cni."''
States HyGienic Laboratory Will !1F'
nish q more certain way in which iHh'-
vldual cases Of this disease can be
recognized
What is the course Of the disea5of
Do people die Of it2
"OrGinarily, the fever lasts from
three to four days and the patienl re-
covers. But while The proportion o.
deaths ii the present cEidelatc mas
generally been low, IN some places me
outbreak has been severe and deaths
have been numerous. When death oc-
ours it Is usually the result of com,
plicatiOp."
What causes the disease and no" is
it spread?
"Bacteriologists VINO have studied in.
fiuenza epi1cmics IN the past have
found in many Of the cases LeEy
small rod-shaped germ called, after It's
discoverer, PfeifforS bacillus. In other
cases Of apparently the same kind OF
disease there were foGnG pneumGcocci,
the germs Of lohaF pneumonia. still
others have been caused by Stroqt0-
cocci and by Others germs with long
names.
NO matter what particular Ei"i Of
germ cruises the epidemic, it is no"
believed that Influenza is always
-
germs being carried with the air along
with the very small trcpietS Of mI2HS,
expelled by coughing or snceZ!ng'
forccfuI talking, and the like by one
who already has tie germs Of the dis
ease They may also be carried about
in the air in the form Of dust coming
from dried mucus, from coughing anu
snecriug, or from careless people who
spit On the floor and on The sidewalk.
AS in most other catching diseases, &
person who has only a mild attack Of
the disease himself may give very
severe attack to others"
What should be done by those wko
catch tie disease?
ut is very important that every per-
son WHO becomes sick with influenza
should go home at once and go 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. ? 1t is highly
desirable that no one be allowed TO
sleep in the same room with the pa
Irlt q
should be allowed in the room.
IF there is cough and sputum or
running Of the eyes and nose, care
should be taken that all such dis,
charges are collected on bits of sauZe
or rag or paper napkins and burned
If the patient complains of fever and
headache, he should be given water to
drink, q cold compress to the forehead
and a light sponge. Only such mcdi'
cine should be given as is prescribed
by the doctor. 1t is foolish to ask the
druggist to prescribe and may be dan
gerous 10 lake the SO-called safe, sure
and harmless remedies advertised by
patent medicine manufacturers.
"If the patient is so situated that he
can be attended only by some one who
must also look after others in the fam
lily, it is advisable that such attendant
wear a 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.
MUSES. and attendants will do well
to guard against breathing in danger
Gus disease germs by wearing simple
fold of gauze or mask while near the
patient"
viii person who has had Influenza
before catch the disease again?
ut is well known ,,-ut an attack of
measles or scarlet fever or smallpox
usually protects Il r2"SGn against an
other attack of the same disease This
appears not to be ."I2 of Spanish in
huenza' AccordinE 70 newspaper re-
ports the King Of Spain suffered an
attack of influeHza during the epi-
demic thirty years ago, and was again
stricken during the recent outbreak in
Spain"
How can one guard against influ,
cnza?
In guarding against disease Of all
kinds, it is important that the body be
kept strong and able to fight off dis
ease germs. This can be done by hay-
ing a proper proportion of work, play
and rest, by keeping the body well
clothed, and by eating sufficient whole
IN,
connection with diet, it is well to re-
member that milk is one of the best
all-around foods Cbtainable for adults
as well 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 it is
not always possible, especially in
times like the present, to avoid such
overcrowqing, people should consider
the health danger and make every
effort to reduce the home OvercrOwd-
ing to 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 breathed out by
another person.
at 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 out Of crowds and stuffy
places as much as possible, keep
homes, offices and workshops well air.
ed, spend some time out of doors each
day, walk TO work if at all practicable
in short, make every possible effort
to breathe as much pure air as pos
sible.
ain all health matters follow the adj