The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-06
INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA

Editorial. Southern Medical Journal
journal Of 1he Southern Medical
Association. February 1900
Judging from press reports. an cpl
eiemlc "a influenza. usually called
Spanish Etu. seems to be segcading
over. the TINTED States. The cases
reported 80 far have been mild, with
low percentage. IF pneumonia and
with q few deaths. /. has Detn nnied
iH othcr cpidemice of influenza that
IN the beginning the cases arc mild;
but as the epidemic grows the or
ganisTnS causing ths disease aud stS
complications increase in virulence
1t ~ therefore, possible that we may
have n serious opidrMc though there
are 40 doubt many immune from
having had an attack last year.
'rnf early diagnosis OF colds and
iniluCn2a be- Of very great Importance
In preventing others from becoming
. infected and early treatment, con-
sistiuL principally If rest in bed, VIII
prevent many Eases Of secondary
stropioCoccIe pneucacnia- The early
diagnosis also enables the physical n
to Isolate promptly tho infected in
diSiGua} who otherwise is menace
/ to tfosc with whom no comes In con-
! tact
/ Common cold and Md cases OF in
( huCn1a should be Isolated as prompt
/ ~ ard az thoroughly a. II they were
I mild cases ri swaHppN. The mortal J.
! itY from influenza, waQn the compiI-
catioi9s particularly pneumonia, are
/ included. il perhaps - great as the
death rate from $n:aiipoX. the cpl
/ denies of which naYr been mild in
1 recent years. A person may catch
pneumonia from a r1aa with cold
( ~ lio may he y pn@umococcus OF
/ streptococclIs carrier. just as the mar
may contract smallpox of the con
fluent type from case OF varioloid
ia which there ere only one or TIVE
: pustules. OF course. it is not prac
! ticable to isolate every case of In
4 tiuenza when there ~ an epidemh
raging. but the principle OF isolation
IN influenza and pnumonia prevention
is sound: and where the best thtDl
can not be done, the rule should b
approach ii as nearly rs circum
stances Will permit
Convalescent influenza patients Wit
cOurhs should 10 Isolated until a
- inptofns have subs.oed, II Is par
hfIcuiarlY important shat the pneumo
mia patients also be isolater. Exam
ination OF The mouth and throat O
patients recovering from an attack @
pneumonia has shown that they ma
hari or a Niruient tyne of pneumoni
from twelve % ninety days after re
covery. Stiliman found tnat streptc
cocci we're present in "a out of 1S
d specimens of duct FROM rooms oe
: cupied by pncumonla patients: an
the pneumococcus raay remain aiiv
from one to four months in drie
sputum.
= Since influenza and pneumonia pei
- sons coutaminata The rooms they OF
cupy they should be thoroughly di
I infected before being occupied b
others. IL is also in,portant 10 di.
y infect drinking cups. dishes, as we
q as. ALI towels and linen used by pa
TENTS The greatest care should I
4sa tahfsa 1s ,ses.aGaats tssss, ,s III
= expeetorated. III al OF the sputul
9 Of patients with influenza and pnet
= monis were aisinfected or burned ,
n once There would he nc spread Of II
's fectipn from any pAfsent.
= CONTACT INFECTION
I Carriers undoubtedly play an IN
8 portant role in disseminating infiuei
y "a bacilil pneumococSi, streptococ
ens SYST gstsSsfea 'sfe rSrg9YY VII
Is immune TO influenza and pneumt
( MIA may be carrier and his secretion
IN ,3may therefore he az dangerous as
= he actually had the disease A can
Is paigr. Of education 10 teach the pul
10 lie the dangers of sneezing ar
coughing and ds speaking In clol