The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-08-02
DIR. DhigO Answers Questions

To the Health Department of Maine
many inquiries come. The rather
frequent recurrence of the same ques-
ton, coming from widely different
parts of the state, suggests that prob
ably the answers to many of them
would be interesting and helpful to
other persons. The department is
glad at any time to advise individuals
as well as local health officers about
any matters relating to public health
or personal hygiene. Answers go
by personal letters to the persons
who ask the question. and only
such as may be bought to be of int
/ crest are later used in this column.
Inquiries should be addressed State
Department OF Health, Augusta, Me-
| | wish you would let me know the
ca use of hay-fever and what suffer-
err can do to make summer life the
more worth the living? D. II.
Your inquiry relates to mattec in
which the State Department of
Health is very much interested and
! In VIII. 'ch 1t hopes to have much work
done through the coming season. How
| to avoiI hay-fever and how the an
| noyance and suffering due to it may
be mitig. ated is certainly an inter-
esting QUESTION with many persons,
for the most experienced authorities
have estima ted that there are one mil
| lion persons in this country who suf-
| fer from this trouble every year; and
in due proportion that would mean
that there are six or seven thousand
such sufferers here in Maine.
The principal cause of the so-called
hay-fever is the inhalation of that
dust-like organize matter called pol
len which is given off by plants dur
ing their period oil, bloom. From the
point of view of the causation of hay
fever, plants are divided into two
classes. In one, this fertilizing pol
len which enables the plants to bear
seed is transported by the wind; In
the other by insects. In guarding
against pollen as the cause of hay
fever, the wind pollinated plants are
all that need be considered.
Early in the spring certain trees;
BIRCH maple, willow and some others
give off an abundance of pollen. A
few persons are sensitive to pollen
from these sources But this Is
minor source of trouble for hayfever
sufferers.
Later, in June and early July, a
| somewhat larger number of persons
are badly affected BY the pollen given
off by the grasses; but the pollen
| grains from this source are heavier
so that they are not borne so far
by the wind as are some others, and
therefore are not far-reaching in their
influence.
A much larger number of persons,
from so to 80 per cent of all hay-fever
victims, 1t is estimated, suffer from
largely from the so-called ragweed
growing on vacant lots and in other
waste places.
Some persons are sensitive to the
pollen from the plants which give
off their pollen in spring or early
summer, others to the late pollinat-
ing plants, and a few are troubled
with both the spring and autumnal
hay-fever
The first step In the prevention of
hay-fever Is for each person to deter
mine what plant or plants are respon-
sible for his trouble. The ability to
recognize and to name the plants
which are the chief causes of hay
fever, in the season when one suf-
fers with 1t, is helpful, indeed. Of
late years a great help comes from
the dlagnostic pollen extracts which
help physicians very much in deter
mining what particular plant is the
cause of his patients trouble.
The next thing Is the avoidance
of the vicinity Of the abundant
growth of the incriminated plants, or
the carrying out of plans for their
destruction. In some cities there
are laws against the harboring of
weeds in Objectionable places. In
a few cities concerted efforts, by
means of municipal ordinances and
otherwise, have been carried on
against hay-fever weeds, resulting In
marked lowering of the sickness
rate from hay-fever
Some places in Maine have what
appears to be well-deseryed reputa
lions for the absence of hay-fever.
In other places, at some. of our sum-
mer resorts, with a very slight pre-
yalence of these troubles, there is a
eommendable movement to make the
visitors as nearly wholly immune as
possible by destroying the plants that
have been the chief cause of their
trouble.
The State Department of Health, on |
It's part, Is preparing to carry on a |
line of work which will help our
people to recognize hay-fever plants |
and with a view of investigating |
the seasonal and local prevalence of
hay-fever in Maine. 1t would be very |
glad to correspond with any persons !
WIN have been troubled with haY-feYer