The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-11-22
THE UBIQUITOUS pNEU-
MOCO(CVIS

MOCOCCUS
In the case OF the little boy sue
cessfully treated for pneumoco
meningitis from ear infection with
incision of the bullying ear drum to
give vent to the pus in the ear and
full doses of sulfaypridine for four
days, as described here the other
day, cultures Of pneumococcus
pneumonia germ type were OBJ
tanned from the boys throat, from
the pus that drained from the mid
die ear after incision Of the bulg-
ing ear drum, and from the fluid
taken from the spinal canal when
the question Of meningitis arose
(because of the pain In ear, follow
ed by complaint of dizziness and
pain In back of neck when the
child tried to raise his head from
the pillow.
Whether the sulfanilamide or
sulfapyridine accounted for the re-
covery, or whether the child would
have made ethe same prompt re-
covery following drainage Of the ear
If no medicine had been given at
all, of course must remain con-
lecture. Eventually perhaps we shall
find from accumulated experience
In practice just what remedial value
sulfanilamide or sulfapyridine has.
At present the question Is unsettled.
The practical point in the case
cited, which should interest every
one, Is that from the bacteriologi-
cal study of the case 1t Is reason
able to infer that the boy first had
q simple sore throat or perhaps 1t
was called "cold." Through sheer
fate or neglect Of proper treatment
or wrong treatment or possibly poor
immunity from faulty nutrition, the
pneumococcus infection spread from
throat to the middle ear, via the
Eustachian tube, that air-duct be-
tween the middle ear cavity and the
back Of the throat. Or maybe the
child had never been taught how
to blow the nose and by improper
nose-blowing forced some infected
material from the back Of the throat
into the Eustachian tube and the
middle ear space.
Well, how should one blow the
nose, If at all?
The less blowing the better, in
any circumstances.
Gently, always. Never with one
or both nostrils pinched. Only with
nostrils unobstructed and hand
kerchief or paper napkin held UNI
der but not in contact with the
nose. Never blow forcibly. Merely
breathe out through the nose little
more vigorously than ordinarily to
favor drainage.
Where did the boy get the pneu-
mococcus In the first place? Prob
ably from some one who had "just
q slight cold" so-called. One never
knows what such indisposition may
prove to be, In the stage when the
ignorant or vicious individual who
has 1t goes about spreading his in
lection among all who are so un-
fortunate as TO come within his
conversational spray range, for ex-
apple. Ignorant or vicious people
are encouraged In this spreading Of
infection by the teachings Of many
of our public health administrator
I've sounded of about this for
years. but they're pretty thick
skinned. the politicians who hold
down the top Jobs in public health
departments - and some of them
have their followers pretty well
convinced that 1t mainly o ques-
ton Of keeping ones feet dry or
avoiding drafts or the weather.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Boiled or Distilled
Are boiled water and distilled wa
ter the same? tMrs. c. g.
Answer-No. Distilled water Is