Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-06-25

Washington, d. c., June o3.-The
time for the annual hay fever sneeze-
fest is approaching.
logged in close fitting goggles to
protect their eyes with cotton filters
in their noses and their lips tightly
closed against invading irritants the
old guard of the hay fever fraternity
are already preparing to do battle with
the flowers that bloom in the summer
and fall
Of course they know that they will
be unsuccessful in their. resolve not to
sneeze once this year. They know that
they will soon be sayings- Ids beaud-
iful bording," instead of talking in their
usual bell-like tones. They ever fore
see that their eyes will be puffed up
like frogs, and their noses will be red
and their faces in general will suggest
prepare to suffer with the dignity be-
fitting one who is afflicted with an
aristocratic ailment.
For the high character of hay fever
is now universally acknowledged. Doc
tors who have studied the disease most
carefully testify that it attacks only the
super aesthetic. 1t is n maiady of dis
tinction, and one which you can we'll
afford to cultimate, if you don't mind
beng thoroughly miserable while dis
HayIng your superiority.
When hay fever first became preva-
lent, about the time of the Civil war,
sufferers went about sneezing and
weaping and weighted down with sense
OF appearing ridiculous. Hay fever was
then joke and a mystery. Now that
science takes, it seriously, tle million
o more people who sneeze atTthe men,
ton OF weeds are coming to glory in the
idea that they are souls apart, endowed
with representative noses and perilous-
~ high strung nervous systems.
Some of the FL. f. v. (Which stands
for hay fever victims) claim to be so
oelfcately balanced that they lose their
eGuhberium completely if a stalk of rag
weed sprouts within half a mile Others
20 them one better by insisting that they
had attacks of sneezing brought on by
looking at an oil painting of golden rod
and daisies.
1t is a well established fact that the
exciting cause of hay fever is the pollen
OF any of hundred or more plants and
grasses carried about by the wind. Be-
cause the wind cannot be depended on
to carry each grain of pollen to the right
flower to promote fertilization, a great
many extra pounds are produced, so that
some will be sure TO fulfill their purpose.
thus IN case of ragweed, it is estimated
that several million grains of pollen are
scattered on the wind for every grain
which lands on the ragweed plant.
These etraying atoms of pollenn some
times travel five or six miles on the wind.
They are In the air we breathe. Ninety
nine people in hundred have them in
their nasal passages. and the membrane
1ct irri iE0t
that no harm is done. But In the hun
dredth nose the mucus membrane is es
ira sensitive. The poison enters the
membrane an1 starts an irritation. Mean
while the possessor of the hundredth
nose is getting wireless message to
his brain about a violent conflict IN his
nasal passage. He sends back an order
not to surrender but by this time the
attacking enemy is reinforced by som.
more pollen grains and defeat is newt.
able.
Susceptibility to hay fever is.a mys.
terry. Some people respond only to rag.
weed: others to the pollen of corn and
rye. A great many think that the golden
rod is their particular nemesis, burt
sience has showen that the pollen is so
heavy that it cannot BIB blown any dis
tance by the wind, and that therefore
goldenrod cannot cause hay fever spasn
only When the pOllen Is 1nhaled from tne
plant itself As few hayfeverites ever
allow themselves to come within this da-
ger zone Of goldenrod the plants evil
reputation is obviously unndeserved
Weeds to Blame.
Some people are victims offhay fever
from childhood Many. however, develop
the disease later, some as late as fifty
years of age. One reason for this seems
to be the fact, just mentioned. that
different people are susceptible to DIFF
ferent plants Thus. people whose noses
would not think of having Mysteries over
field grasses or honey suckle and who
are invulnerable to the deadly cookie
! bur, may suddenly be laid low if they
travel to different section of the coun-
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