The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-04-25
THE LUST TO KILL GERMS

Is there any harm or merit, asks .
reader, In shifting (holding one nos
tril closed and inhaling thru the 9TH
ERR bottle Of
The correspondent names q chem.
ical which Is very good remedy for
some troubles but a very dangerous
one II carelessly handled, so we'll omit
the name Of 1t.
AS q means Of killing germs IN
nose and throat after being exposed
to flu, ETC.? (Mrs. H. G. R.)
In my opinion such a practice Is
rather futile. and II such powerful
irritant as the correspondent men,
lions were so used 1t might do harm.
In the first place 1t is unwise tol
snuff or sniff anything into the nasal
passage. II any medicament is to be
applied thru the nose It had better be
by irrigation, spray or vapor.
In the next place, SO far as our
present scientific or precise knowl-
edge goes, plain boric acid solution,
say q rounded teaspoonful OF boric
acid dissolved In the pint Of boiled
water is as efficient an antiseptic as
can safely be applied to the nose or
throat In that way.
Finally, I believe am no more inn
mune to flu or other respiratory In
fections than anybody should be, yet I
should not deem it worth while to use
any such remedy in the hope Of ward
ing off such an illness.
OF course I know there are several
remedies one might use In the nose
and throat. remedies which would
probably kill more germs than boric
acid does, but I should not bother to
use them myself if you supplied them
free Of all charge and even paid me q
percentage for using them.
Again, I acknowledge 1t Is quite
conceivable that q sudden flood Of
poison might catch invading flu germs
or pneumonia germs in the act, an.
initiate them, and save the day. On
the other hand 1t Is certain that
germs which have invaded the tissues
are beyond the reach Of any such
medicament. So am cheerfully pes
simistic about the game of killing
germs in the nose and throat. Or
maybe I'm Scotch or Yankee. after
all, and in spite Of everything. At
any rate I prefer to save my candle.
Where there is already some acute
irritation or inflammation in the nasal
mucous membrance, il any solution
at all Is to be used to cleanse or clear
the breathing passages, perhaps the
least irritating is q solution Of heap
Ing teaspoonful Of common table salt
to the pint OF boiled water, best ap-
piled as an irrigation. That is, allow
. pint or more Of the salt solution
Eat about body temperature) to run
into one nostril, from tank not over
q foot above the level Of the nose
and q blunt nozzle against the nostril
and pointed straight back as patient
sits erect, and out thru the other
nostril. With practice one soon learns
to do this without any discomfort ct
all. In the treatment Of various nose
and throat conditions In infants and
young children it Is the ideal method
as 1t may be employed with the pa
tient lying down, with . shallow basin
to catch the overflow.
Where medication Is to be applied
with . spray. IN atouiSer Of install
which can b steyilised By boiling. 4
best, and should Be 20 sterilised before
using. The medicameut n tho atom.
iSer bottle should b warmed . bit
above body heat before each spraying
QUESTIONS AND ANswERs