The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-11-09
PNEUMONIA IS A NEAT WAY TO GO

It would be just my luck, I suppose. to de- velop pneumonia some fine winters day and make the obituary column. At that. it is not a bad way to shuttle off. Only I hope if ever l do go that way my friends will not allow my enemies to make any wisecracks about 1t. I'm | just as much entitled to catch such an infec- tious disease as the next chap, even if he is a regular old mollycoddle, cowardly draft dodger fellow who wears extra clothing when the weather seems damp, not for comfort but just to protect him against taking the weather in through his pores.
 If I am fated to have pneumonia I hope it will be the acute, short and less painful kind known in time past as lung fever and to-day as lobar or pleuro-pnemonia This is the ill., ness the beloved Oser called "the friend of the aged" Taken off by 1t in an acute, short, not often painful illness, the old man escapes those cold gradations of decay so distressing to him much pleasanter for the dear ones to remem- Der the old man succumbed to pneumonia than it is to remember, he had cancer, tuberculosis, dementia. leprosy anything like that No body minds admitting that there is pneumonia in the family Pneumonia is rather a snooty disease. It is a nice, clean, sporting sort of final illness, and altogether neat, economical and gentlemanly way to check out
 Not that acute infectious pneumonitis, God forgive me- necessarily carries a man off. In deed, a good man who has not disspated nor gone too soft ought to put up fair fight and win on the seventh or eighth day. In fact four out of five do win. If you to win your bat tie you know it when the "crisis" comes. If you were all shot, in bad condition before the Pneumococcus laid you low even if you stay with till the crisis you may still peter out in the aftermath But reckon I'm fairly fit and if I the crisis I'm going to stick around a while longer. For thing I don't drink. Never have drank When you're scheduled for a bout with pneumonia you have a tremendous advantage if you're a teetotaler. Booze hounds even moderate imbibers, simply can't put up the fight, call it the resistance if you like, but it is merely defense, largely consisting of hur- ried recruiting and mobilization of a large army of leucocytes or phagocytes. white blood corpuscles. The blood count in the case of the boozer gives a low white cell enumeration which means gloomy prognosis for clearly the patient can't fight.
 Another little conceit of mine Is the fancy that my queer notion that pure cold fresh air and sunshine do not harm will stand me in good stead if I ever do come down with lung fever, for while can't give tangible explana- tion of it like to think that my peculiar mo- ton enables me to get little more ultraviolet or vitamin than the ordinary person gets who doesn't like air that moves perceptibly. This ultraviolet or vtamin factor is surely concerned in the development of immunity and the abil- ity to withstand or overcome infection.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 If in Doubt. Use Stovcpipe.
 Is there any danger In using a gas range in very small kitchen having only one window, the range? (Nirs K. M.)
 Answer-it is always better to have the cooking stove connected with the chimney hue open air by stovepipe. If that one win dow is always open. and there is good ventila- tion. you not endangered by using the range. The electric stove heater is the only kind that is safe and hyglenic to use without suitable stove pipe fiue connection to carry pro- ducts of combustion out of the house.
 Bran
 I have not seen any aIusion in your column to the present controversy about the of bran for "roughage." The authorities who dis courage 1t are vOluble enough. (R. Jo
 Answer-They have to be voluble to earn the retainer. Some invalids should not use bran in the diet unless 1t Is advised by their physicians Any normal person may take bran. usually with benefit to health, and always. think, with enjoyment especially if he takes 1t in the form of bran gems, bread, cookies and the like.
 A Real Old Timer
 I am bothered with weak kidneys My hack. co. Q. L)
 Answer--I dunno much about the pathology of weak kidneys but suggest that you quit reading the almanac. If your back troubles you better see q doctor about t. There are many more things than kidneys that are more likely to cause such complaint
 Cancer of the Llp
 Is cancer Of che lip catching? What Drecnn. tiOns should Dc taken when membcP Of the family hns if? EABFs u. q. S.l
 Answor--Caneer is not catching. Ordinary cIeanilness with soap and water is ample pre- masNAaa.