The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-11-27
THE UBIQUITOUS pNEUMoCoCCUs

Like a more highly organized and quite credible creature, the Pneumococcus has no wings at all but he gets there just the same.
 Rosenow has found this germ in the blood of the patient within twelve hours after the
 initial chill of onset of the pneumonia Un- occasionally the germ invades the blood BE- FORE the chill occurs. It is invasion of the blood by the pneumonia germs that produces the chill-not the chill that causes pneumonia. The Pneumococcus is kin to the notorious Streptococcus of septicemia. septic gore throat,
 blood poisoning. In the early stage or onset of
 any of these septic infections chill or chilli
 ness Is quite the rule.
 The finding of the Pneumococcus by blood
 culture does not prove the patient has pneumo- mia. The same germ has been found in the blood in many cases of-note this-tonsillitis. acute middle ear infection, acute arthritis But the finding of the Pneumococcus in the blood, and the absence of other germs, does prove that the illness is caused by the Pneumococcus, whether it be pneumonia, arthrtis. or sore | throat. These are but few of the illnesses which often caused by the identical germ that causes acute pneumonia.
 Some of glib "drugless' heaers, cult promoters and hanky-panky merchants occa-
 sionay scout the germ theory" when holding forth on the nature and cause and cure of pneumonia and other respiratory diseases and confound the dumb audience by demanding to know wher the germs come from that cause | the pneumonia of q lone trapper in his isolated cabin in the wilderness, or something like that. The answer Is even smpler-such an isolated person never has pneumonia. It has never been known to happen outside of story books. The Pneumococcus Is pretty much every I where, but not of its effort. No known | disease germ can travel the tiniest fraction of | an inch unless it is carried or conveyed by
 some animate agent. So far as we know the | Pneumococcus is not naturally vrulent, that IS,
 not naturally cause of disease in animals.
 Man is probably the sole carrier. So 1t is that l Pneumococcus disease or illness can occur only
 in the immediate environment of man. Suppose person harbored Pneumococci in | his mouth constantly, as many of us do. Would
 such person be able to get any Pneumococcus 1 illness from his own Pneumococci? No. That, | hra hoo 1Fna to han Sn you're ever caught out in the wet and cold and l all alone, you need not worry about getting
 pneumonia or anythn; as a result of the chill l ing or exposure, so long as no one brings you l a nice "starter' VirulaEt Pnemococci. Pleurisy. appendicitis. acute peritontis. acute
 pericarditis, acute endocarditis and valvular involvement and acute cofyZa, are other exam pies of Pneumococcus infection in many cases. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | cft-HaDdcdncss
 | Some years ago I read in a book. I think n
 government pamphlet. that n lcft-handed child
 should not he compellcd to use Inc right hand | because of the danger of stuttcrlng. Recently
 had to pass on the case of school child com
 pcilcd to use the risht hand. Can you give me
 any help on this? (B. WI
 | Answer--It is a matter of opinion. I believe
 it is unwlse to try to change a naturally left | handed child to right-handedncss. But that
 does not imply that only the left hand should r be used for writing or other skilled work | Rather encourage the child to use the hands | am mbidexterOusly. In any case do not forbid the
 use of the left hand. This Is merely my opin- | ion l believe forced change does bring On
 stuttering and other troubles in many instances
 1 know of no good reason why person should
 not be left handed In everything. Neither the
 whms of teachers nor the notions of parents
 should determine the child's fate Common
 sense should rule.
 | Chocolate Blamed
 | TcII some of your migrainc patients tO laS
 0R chocolate. suffered fOr years. nDtii some.
 how | suspected my fOndncss for chocolate
 had something Co do with it. l cut out eating
 ci,Oc0iatc 0r drinking C. and since that have
 never had an attack. tE. V. D.
 | Answer--There may bc something in thnt | for certain persons However, believe I'd take | tplaralne with my chOlonte if I couldn't have | it without. or course it K obvious I've never l had mgraIne.