Evening star., 1949-08-22
Tips Offered Victims
As Hay Fever Season
OPENS in District

VpClIS III HISIls1l
If you've developed a sudden fit
of sneezing and an itching and
swelling of membranes of your
nose and eyes, don't write it of
as a simple summer cold.
There's a good chance you've
joined the legion of Washing
tonians who suffer the same symp-
toms every year during hay fever
season.
The bad news this year came
over the week end when detectors
showed the first evidence that
Washington air is full of ragweed
pollen.
Count Checked Daily.
DR.. Eloise w. Kailin, who keeps
a close check on the pollen pre-
valence as a representative of the
District Medical Society, said
there was scarcely a trace of the
hay fever harbinger until three
days ago. But for the 24-hour
period ending at $50 am. Satur-
day, each cubic yard of air held
"a grains of pollen. And, at the
same time yesterday. there were SO
more than enough to bring on
the hay fever miseries.
DR.. Kailin checks the count
each day from a vaseline-covered
slide. left for 24-hour periods at
the Weather Bureaus city Office,
Twenty-fourth and M streets
NV. Currents Of air pass over
the slide, and particles of pollen
and other substances which stick
to the surface, are checked micro
scopically.
Beginning today. The Star will
report the daily pollen count in
its complete weather report. ap-
pearing on Page 2, for benefit o1
the estimated 10000 hay fever
victims in the Washington area
"a Sensitivity Varies.
\ SyEhe amount of pollen necessary
to bring on hay fever varies
widely with individuals. DR.
EEAilin said. Some people star
|xneezing when there is no count
Others aren't bothered until the
count gets up to- about so. But
experience has. shown that when
the count gets above 10 there's
trouble ahead.
When the wind begins to carry
pollen from the pesky ragweec
flowers, there's almost no escape
for hay fever victims. Here, DR.
Kailin said, is what happens:
The pollen in the air lights on
mucous membranes in the nose
and moisture brings the mem
branes into close contact with ar
extract of Iagweed. If the tissues
happen to be sensitive to this
extract. the tissue cells are
poisoned, releasing a number OF
substances. One of these is his
famine, which expands the tiny
blood vessels of the membranes.
This expansion causes water to
leak out of the vessels. giving rise
to irritation and the other
familiar symptoms of hay fever
Can Strike at Any Age.
The same thing happens in the
eyes. And, unless there is treat
ment, about one Of three victims
suffer pollen asthma, when roughly
the same damage is done in the
lungs.
Hay fever can strike at any age,
but it usually spares the very
young and the very DID," DR..
Kailin said. A predisposition to
sensitivity to pollen apparently is
passed on from parents, she said
What can be done?
After the symptoms show up
DR.. Kailin said, the use Of anti
histamine drugs give relief in
about go per cent Of caes. Better
results come from preventive in
jections-given before the symp-
toms occur-which build up q
tolerance to the pollen. The two
methods given together, If used
early enough. show results In
about 95 per cent of cases, DR.
Kailin said.
Besides medical treatment, the
doctor said, these are some o1
the other things hay fever vic.
TINS should do:
Sleep with windows closed until
the end Of September; keep out
Of drafts and, above all, avoic
outings into the country, where
pollen counts are likely to be much
higher.
As evidence Of the last point
Dr.. Kailin cited a measurement
of 1888 grains of pollen in a
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