Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-09-25
Health Officer Foulks Says
Don't,WOrry About Re
turn of Epidemic
TIMELY ADVICE GIVEN
Recommends Right Living, Eating,
Drinking and Sleeping to Avoid
Dreaded Disease.

DR.. Louis E. Foulks, city health Of
ficer saws he received letter few
days ago in which the writer mem
tions a subject of general interest at
the present time. The following Is an
extract.
an almost every paper or peraodl-
cal | pick up now, | find something
in il about the "flu" is sure to return
this fall. Do you think it is wise to
keep harping upon this all the time ?"
| answered this letter at once, and
| will now take up in an eXtenied
form what ! wrote to him in short
note. | strongly condemn the r:ac-
t:ce of keeping the possible return of
Spanish Influenza constantly before
the public. No doctor, scientist or
expert of any kind has any real
knowledge about the matter, and the
Continued airing CT opin5ons on the
subject, that are net based upon any
scientific knowledge, are calcul ated
to do far more harm than good.
1t keeps the people in a constant
state Of worry and expectation, ami
thereby reduces their normal powers
of resistance to that as we'll as other
diseases. If you are all the time eX-
pectirg some particular disease to
overtake you, the chances are that
it will, fer the simple reason that you
arc not IN as good physical or mental
condition to combat the infection
should it meet yau. If you can first
scare your enemy, you have him half
beaten and at disadvantage before
you lift hand.
The mental attitude of a person. is
very Important factor in combating
any disease. Iii has been well said
that "as a man thinketh, so is he."
The mind; both the conscious and
conscious-controls the body and
It's functions to far greater extent.
than most people fully appreciate. In
experimental: tests. along these lines,
strong ard perfeotly healthy men
have been made to faint away b.
simply acting through their minds,
and making them believe something
was taking place or about to happen
to them that really had no existence
in fact. ! could relate many cases CT
.:his kind in which I took an active
para, but space forbids.
The simple point l wish to make is
-his-why try to cross bridge be-
fore you reach even the approach?
Why expect scme disease to attack
YOU, that in all probability win miss
YOU by a mile? BY doing so, you gam
nothing and lose much, for you have
made breach in your own defensive
WALL Don't read stuff about the
"Flu". nor talk about it with your
friends. but make up your mlnd to
strictly follow the rules of right Ilv-
ing, eating, drinking and sleeping. ii
ycu follow out this plan, l Will qua
rantce that you will be in a far b.
ter condition to meet the "Flu", or any
other disease that may by chs"
head in your direction, than your
neirhbor who is all the time talking,
wondering and worrying about thc
possibility of the "Flu" striking h'l
.,wn without moments notlce
Use good judgment and keep your
self fit. Go about properly clothed
and avc3d getting chilled, and ah@ve
all, don't worry, for remember as a
man thinkith so is he" Since Augusa
lst to the present time, only two cases
Of Influenza have been reported ~
this city, and both of these cases
made prompt recovery without com
pl::cat:ons. see nothing whatever i
cause any alarm to the people OF
| Aleyarlr;s at rhe present time.