Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-11
THE PNEUMONIA PERIL
By H. Addington Bruce


n NOE more the so-called pneumonia sea-
I son draws near. Though, to be sure,
pneumonia unhappily is more or less
in evidence the year through Even during
summer months there are not few deaths
from this dread disease, as newspaper obitu-
airy notices bear witness.
But it is in winter that pneumonia always
takes its heaviest toll. And in view of the
history of recent winters it is to be feared
THAT through the coming months it will hit
hard, unless there is really earnest effort on
the part of people generally-and especially
on the part of city dwellers-to meet it by
the preparedness of personal hygiene.
Pneumonia is likely, in fact, to hit harder
than usual, if those authorities are correct
who suggest that it is steadily if slowly on
the increase. This would seem to have been
definitely established in the Of broncho-
pneumonia, and if not true of all other forms
of pneumonia there is no reason to believe
that the others show any appreciate de-
crease.
The trouble is that pneumonia is one Of
the diseases peculiarly favored by such con-
ditons as over-erowding, fatigue, and under
exercising Modern life-particularly mod
ern city life-is conspicuousIy characterized
by these very conditions as regards great
masses of the population.
And not only is there much involuntary
over-croWding fatigue, and under-exercising,
there is much that is purely voluntary.
Many people seem to have a veritable pas
sion for taking recreation in crowded places
many weary themselves by play even more
than by their work, and many whose occu-
patton is distinctly sedentary give their
leisure wholly to sedentary amusements.
1t has also to be said that many, besides
exercising little if at all, habitually overeat.
Overeating inevitably tends to systematic
congestion which today is known to play
contributory part in the development Of
pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
Thus pneumonia prevention becomes to
large extent a matter of wise regulating of
living habits
Persons who from necessity have to spend
much of their time indoors amid crowds,
and in fatigung if sedentary occupations,
should especially make it point to get at
least little outdoor exercise daily to give
preference to amusements that do not mean
further crowding, and to give themselves
the repose Of ample sleep in well-ventilated
rooms. These, indeed, are anti-pneumonia
precautions everybody should take.
And everybody, whatever his or her occu-
patton, while being careful to meet the re-
qu1rement Of a sufficiency Of nourishing
food should be equally careful not to let
the appetite impel to over-nutrition. The i'm
portance Of this precautionary measure can
not be urged too strongly.
One thing more:
If, at a time when pneumonia is known
to be active in the community, one has the
MISFORTUNE 10 contract q cOId or Other minor
malady of the respiratory tract, remain at
home, if it is at all possible to do so, until
that malady has run its course
II to remain at home is impossible at
least it always is possible to exert oneself
no more than is absolutely necessary, to 90
to no crowded amusement place, and to take
an extra allowance of rest and sleep To
ignore a cold, to regard it as quite negligi-
BILE, may be to convert that cold into some
thing infinitely worse.
Copyright, 1920