The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-02-12
REPORT or HEALTH OFFICER


applied loosely 10 ans form Of acute
i respiratory disease from j common
cold 20 pneumonia. bat properly they
refer only 20 d sickness caused b. the
influenza bacillus. They are spread
only by contact of one person with
an.th.r. II has been with as FOR
great many years. bat was not eonsid-
cred rcportable or qaarantinablc tili u
broke out in q most virulent type IN
1918 when il Travelled from Boston 10
San Francisco in less than two months.
i Influenza is not n particularly dan
gerous disease in itself, but renders
the patient very susceptible TO pneu-
monia. In an apidemic Of influenza
about one-ffth Of the cases develop
pneumonia and one-fifth Of the pneu-
monias die.
Il Doctors report that the cases at the
present time are more of the type seen
before the 1918 epidemic, with an
occasional case Of the 1918 type.
The reporting Of all cases Of infu-
enza and pneumonia is required by the
state Board of Health. The minimum
period Of quarantine is ten days. Ply
sicians at this time may make their
report as brief as possible, giving the
name of the head Of the family, adj
dress and number sick, either by mail
or telephone. The health officer will
release the family either on certificate
Of the physician, or If he has diseharg-
ed the patient by direct communica-
ton with the family by letter or tele-
phone.
Acute respiratory diseases, includ-
ing common colds, influenza, pneu-
monia, are alike in that they are all
highly infectious and that the infec- I
tious matter is found in the excre-
tions of the nose and throat.
The preventive measures that can
be carried out are only 90 per cent
efficient in themselves on account OF
the great number Of mild cases or
carriers which do not come TO the at
tention OF the authorities However,
anyone who coughs or sneezes in pub
lie should be looked on with suspicion.
They are better off at home where
they can enjoy quiet and rest, which
is of the greatest importance when
any respiratory disease is prevalent.
II also Is o well known fact that fear
always makes one more susceptible to
disease.
Chaplin admirably describes the
transmission and distribution Of the
infective agents existing in the mouth
and nose that one is tempted to quote
his edifying and graphic presentation.
N~"Not only is the saliva made use of
for a great variety of purposes, and
numberless articles are for one reason
or another placed in the mouth, but,
for no reason whatever, and all uneon-
sciously, the fingers are with great
frequency raised TO the lips or the
nose. Who can doubt that il the sal .
wary glands secreted indigo the
fingers would not continually be stain :.
ed deem blue, and who can doubt that
If the nasal and oral secretions con-
tain the germs Of disease these germs 9
will not be almost as constantly found /,
upon the fingers? All successful com 1
merce is reciprocal, and in the univer- Z
sal trade of human saliva the fingers |
not only bring foreign secretions to
the mouth Of the owner, but there, ex-
changing it for his own, distribute the |
latter to everything the hand touches.
This happens not once, but scores 81
hundreds of times, during the days
round of the Individual. The cook /
spreads his saliva on the mullins and
rolls. the waitress infects the glasses
and spoons. The thumb Of the milk
man is in his measure, the reader
the pages Of bis book, the ?
lady the fingers of her glove. Every :
one is busily engaged in this distri- :
button Of saliva, so that the end Of a
each day finds this secretion on the /
loors. window sills. furniture, and 8
olaythings in the shops and public :,
buildings, and, indeed, upon every D
hing that the hands of man touch. \
What avails it il the germs do die !,
luickly? A fresh supply is furnished :
.ach day. Besides the moistening Of \
he fingers with saliva and the use Of u
he common drinking cup, the mouth :;
$ put to nun1berless improper uses y
which may result in the spread Of in
ection. 1t is used TO hold pins, string, j
,encils, paper and money. The lips
re used to moisten the pencil, TO
,oint the thread for the needle, to wet 4
,ostage stamps and envelopes. Chill
ren swap" apples, cake, and lolly-
ops, while men exchange their pipes
nd women their hat pins. Sometimes