Evening star., 1924-01-20
HAY FEVER CLINIC
TO OPEN TUESDAY
Early Treatment Regarded
as Certain Step to In
sure Success.

One of the very earliest signs of
spring is the annual reopening of
the hay fever clinic conducted by the
Woman's Welfare Association. This
annual event is scheduled for
o'clock next Tuesday afternoon at
Social Service House. 1922 18th street
northwest, when the preventive treat
ment of the early or spring type of
this distressing disease will be under
taken. To insure success it has been
found best in the past for patient
to begin treatment six or even eight
weeks prior to the onset of the
dreaded symptoms
Pollination of trees. very many of
which blossom before the leaves are
even uncurled. give rise to these
symptoms. which, although of COM
parativeiy short duration. are as an
poying as those of the more common
autumn type of hay fever. Even
though the blooms be inconspicuous
there are many trees in Washington
which give off large amount of
pollen which troubles susceptible in
dividuals. These ills include not only
affections of the throat, nose and
eyes, but also itching of the scalp
In very unfortunate individuals
asthma, dreaded complication. ap-
pears, indicating a sensitiveness of
the deeper air passages to the inhaled
pollen.
Thoughts of spring stir the emo
tions of most people pleasantly; the
spring hay fever subject cannot share
therein.
The polliuation of the trees covers
the period from the end of February
TO the middle of May. The alder and
hazel-nut are among the first to
bloom. and in rapid succession the
nj l1yt.i .iyoCr f,-.n tNNtn
Poplar. elm, mamie. ash, birch and
the oak. Black walnut. hickory
black gum and mock Grange are late
in blooming.
Clinic Well Equipped.
The specific pollen which excites
hay fever in an individual is deter
mined by means of simple Yet ac-
curate skin tests, which indicate that
the particular variety of pollen which
causes the skin irritation is the
cause of the victims hay fever. The
prepared from the pollens of many
of the trees likely to cause the dis
ease in the District. The treatment
is directed against the variety which
gives the positive reaction.
The results of treatment in the past
here are said to have compared ia
vorably with those achieved by the
best clinics in the country. During
1928. however. the previous record has
been surpassed because of improve
mcnts in technique which have been
developed. The most notable con-
trihutien of this clinic to the control
of hay fever is the improved method
of extraction of the pollen protein.
Thus. in the preventive treatment of
the fall type of hay fever. which is
the most stubborn. the failures were
reduced from 10 to 5 per cent for
1923. OF the 50 per cent benefited,
40 per cent of patients were practi-
cally free from symptoms. Hitherto
the best record for complete relief
has been % per cent of those treated.
Has Two Other Clinics.
The Woman's Welfare Association.
in addition to it's hay fever clinic,
conducts two others at its headauar-
ters The cancer control clinic is held
on Tuesdays at . pm. and the mental
hygiene clinic on Thursdays at pm.
The association is eager to fill GER
tain urgent communal needs and is
At present soliciting funds from it's
members and friends in order that
these special clinics may be contin-
ued. Owing to limited facilities. the
Treatment is given only to those
women and girls unable to pay pri-
vate physicians for similar profess
sional services.