The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-07
LOBAR PNEUMONIA.


Pneumonia constitutes 6.5 per cent
of>all internal diseases, 4 per cent of
all diseases, sc per cent of all medical
deaths Gieberinister) and per cent
of all deaths (E. F. Wells).
Lobar pneumonia is a sharply de-
fined, acute, specific disease OF the
lungs, which in the great majority OF
cases. displays a distinct individuality
IN its clinical anatomical and usually
also its causative relations. Among the
common communicable diseases, it is
one of the most important and fire.
quent, and il Is universally familiar
even to the laity under the names of
pneumonia or inflammation of the
lungs. In most cases, the disease
appears quite suddenly, and often
apparently without any special cause,
in persons up to that time i'll perfect
health. On the other hand, a case Of
lobar pneumonia will sometimes occur
as a complication of all other disease
conditions secondary pneumonia),
but the most common form is where
loDar pneumonia develops as the pri-
mary disease.
Affects All Ages.
Pneumonia may be seen even in the
new born. Predisposition to infection
is great up to the sixth pear, and then
the fifteenth year, its frequency in
creases. over half the cases occur be-
tween the twentieth to the fortieth
years, and over so per cent between
the tenth and fiftieth years. Cold and
wet are predisposing factors. Pneu-
monia prevails especially, in February,
March and April, when the weather
varies. the temperature fluctuates, the
moisture is great and the winds are
high.f Three-fourths of all cases of
pneumonia occur in cold months. 1t
is half again as frequent in the cities
a n the FdW0rdS states that
in the winter of 1904, when 1909
persons died of pneumonia in Chicago,
he knew of practitioners in many
towns not 100 miles away, who did
not see a single case.
The thought that lobar pneumonia
might be an acute infectious disease
had impressed the majority of physi-
clans for considerable length of time,
but this theory did not receive salts
factory support until further investi-
CATION as to the cause of the disease
had been made. Friedlander demon
strated a special form of rod shaped
germs from the lungs of patients
affected with pneumonia. Later,
Frankel and after him Weichselbaum,
who first demonstrated its frequency
and importance. 1t is lancet-shaped,
e''li1e the flame of candle') and is
| frequently arranged in pairs. the in
dividuals of each pair usually havin 6
their broad ends opposed. Very often
| there are two or more in short chains.
The pairs of germs are usually sur
rounded by a capsule that can only
be demonstrated by a special method
of staining.
Germs Enter Nose and Throat.
The way of entrance of the germs
| is by way OF the respiratory tract.
From the lung it may spread diffuse-
| ly. chiefly thru the blood vessels. or
possibly by way of the lymphatics. 1t
1 f- t.,
cent of healthy noses and throats. The
pneumococcus is probably the sole
cause of typical pneumonia, but other
germs are sometimes found.
| Lobar pneumonia as a rule does
not show a decided epidemic charac-
ter. In a large population, sporadic
cases occur at any season. Like cry
sipelas of the face or acute articular