Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-01-03
Respect that Cold

There is nolquestion but that the publicity
given the discussions on influenza at the recent
meeting of the American Public Health associ-
alton in Chicago has tended to create doubt in
| the minds of some as to the right course to
pursue in the presence of influenza It is safe
to say, however, that no physician has for a
moment doubted that:
l. Influenza is an infectious disease.
2 That it is produced by definite and
known organism or germ.
| g. That it is necessary to use proper prevent
| i've measures, be these quarantine isolation
or the use of the face mask.
No question, either. that certain phases of
the discussion wereNso advertised as to create
distrust and perplexity in the minds Of the
public which thereupon drew unWarranted
conclusions.
A friend who visited session of the conven-
ton and listened to the differing opinions
voiced quoted;
when doctors disagree. who shall deeide?' -
and as ked what he should do if he got the flu >
He was told to call his physician, whereupon
he said that he knew as much as the
discussants seemed to. This was answered by
the quotation "a little knowledge is a danger
GUS thing
Because experts argue about methods is no
reason to believe that they disagree about
principles Intact without agreement on I'M
DERIVING principles, there could be no argu-
ment
The laity, employing different physicians
from time to time, observe that DIR. A. does
not believe in doing certain things that DR..
B does The patient gets well under the
care of either man. Why? Because the prin-
ciples on which their practice is based are
the same Their difference is merely mat
ter of method.
| If one physician chooses to put six ply
gauze masks on his patients and on their
contacts family and nurse) it will, as Miss
Foley aptly says. do no harm to another per-
son. 1t is very hard thing for sick person
| to shoot his germs through a six ply gauze
mask When one reflects that infection can
be produced by person coughing at dis
lance of six feet, one rather approves the
mask.
Again, if DR.. x prefers to isolate his patient
allowing no one in the room but the nurse, II
is almost certainty that his patient will not
spread the disease. In the meantime, the
nurse feels better about if she has her mask.
1t is very well for the family to use So
called shome remedies, but when not every
one can tell beginning influenza, measles,
or other catarrahal disease from an ordinary
.scold," who is going to tell the family when
the s'home remedies are proper? Answer
the physician. Especially is it important to
attend to colds during an open winter when
no great demands are made on heating plants,
outside or inside the body. Shoes wet at
night and still damp the next morning III
vite cold feet snifies, chilliness, and infection
Of one kind or another,
One cannot urge too strongly the import
ance of proper clothing dry shoes. well ven
tilated sleeping (all other rooms for that mat
teri and immediate attention to colds"
Several institutions with which / am &C
ouainted with population in the aggregate,
Of about 500 people, did not develop single
case of influenza during the epidemic Every
case Of cold was watched as it started. Only
after the bans had been lifted did some be-
come careless did sickness appear.
IC is to be feared that If the people become
careless in this matter we shall have further
epidemics of influenza. They-should be urged
not to neglect cold nor to regard it, lightly ,
Finally, while man may not fear the hu
he usually has great respect for pneumonia,
and pneumonia is the big brother OF the "hu.