The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-01-30
i, S, HEALTH SERVICE
ISSUES WARNING
Increase in All Respiratory Dis
eases After the Influenza
Epidemic Probable.
Innuenxa Expected to Lurk for Months.
How to Guard Against Pneumonia
Common Colds Highly catchins-im.
portanee Of Suitable clothin9-eou'o
Save 100000 Lives.


attention of health officers Is direc'eo
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
puhIie Health Service, these diseases
will be especially prevalent this VIM
ter unless the people are particularly
careful to obey health instructions.
..Thc present epidemic" said sur
eeon General Blue, "has taught by Dit
ter experience how readily condition
beginning apparently as a slight coid
may 90 on to pneumonia and deatn.
Although the worst Of the epidemic is
over, there will continue to De iarse
number of scattered cases, many Oh
them mild and unrecognized, winch
will be danger spots to be guarded
against" The Surgeon General iikened
the present situation to that aiter a
great fire, saying, mo fire chieI WHO
understands his business stops playing
the hose on the charred debris as soon
az tbe flames and visible fire have dis
appeared. On the contrary, he con-
tinues the water for hours and even
DAVIS. for he knows that there Is dam
ger of the fire reminding from smoi-
dering embers."
.sThen you fear another outbreak OF
influenza? 2" he was asked. mot neces-
sarily another large epidemic. said,
the Surgeon General, "but unless the
neople learn to realize the seriousness
of the danger they will be compelled 10
nav heavy death toll from pneumo-
nia, and other respiratory diseases.
Common Colds Highly Catching.
sit is encouraging TO observe that
people are beginning to learn that or
binary coughs and colds are highly
catching and are spread from person
to person by means OF droplets OF
germ laden mucus. Such dropiets 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
.Still 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 wher
the weather suddenly changes, sitting
In warm rooms too heavily dressed or
what Is even more common, especially
among women. dressing so, lightly tina
windows are kept closed In order to b.
comfortably warm. This Is q very In
furious practice.
Could Save 100000 Lives.
.'T believe we could easily save on,
hundred thousand lives annually II
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
4 mysterious about it-no specific medl
cine, no vaccine. The important thin
is right living. good food and plenty o
fresh air.
Droplet Infection Explained In Pictures
"The Bureau Of Public Health
Treasury Department, has just issue
q striking poster drawn by Bergman
the well-known Washington cartoonis
The poster exemplifies the moder
method Of health education. A fe,
. years ago, under similar circumstances
the health authorities would have 1.
sued an official dry but scientifcall
accurate bulletin teaching the role Q
droplet infection In the spread of r,
spiratory diseases. The only ones VIII
would have understood the bullet
would have been those who alread
knew all about the subject The ma
in the street, the plain citizen and til
many millions who toll for their livin
would have had no time and no desir
to wade through the technical phras,
ology."
USE L7YE