Smyrna times., 1919-01-01

Common Colds Highly Catching-Im-
portance of Suitable Clothing-Could
Save 100000 Lives.
Washington, D. C.-With the subsid-
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 a 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.
1.-The present epidemic" said Sur
geOn General Blue, has taught by bit |
ter experience how readily a 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 a large
number of scattered cases, many Of
them mild and unrecOgniZed, 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-
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 a heavy death toll from pneumO-
mia and other respiratory diseases.
Common Colds Highly Catching.
"It 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,
as 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
"StiI another factor in the produc-
tion 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 thai
windows are kept closed in order to be
comfortably warm. This is a very in
furious practice.
Could Save 100000 Lives.
81 believe we could easily save ont
hundred thousand lives annually il
the United States if all the peOpl
would adopt the system of fresh al
living followed, for example, in tuber
culOsis sanatOria. There is nothing
mysterious about it-nO specific medl
cine, no vaccine. The important thin
is right living, good food and plenty .
fresh air.
DropIet Infection Explained in Pictures
"The Bureau of Public Health
Treasury Department has just issue,
a striking poster drawn by Bergman
the well-knOwn Washington cartOOnis
The poster exemplifles the mOder
method of health education. A fey
years ago, under similar circumstances
the health authorities would have Is
sued an official dry but scientificall
accurate bulletin teaching the role Q
droplet infection in the spread Of RI
spiratOry diseases. The only ones VIII
would have understood the bulleti
would have been those who alread
knew all about the subject. The ma
in the street, the plain citizen and tn
many millions who toll for their livin
would have had no time and no desil
to wade through the technical phras
OlOgy."