| OCR Text |
Show Deis Resulting FromPneumonia Ten per cent of tho deaths In tho United States result from pneumonia. It is ostlmnted that during tho past thirty days this rato has been doubled dou-bled In somo sections. Tubcrculos-Is Tubcrculos-Is and heart disease, each causing ono ninth of nil fatalities, aro tho only diseases which outrank pneumonia pneu-monia among tho legion of tho men of death, hut In certain cities pneumonia pneu-monia Is stendlly Increasing and oven has surpassed tho mortality from tuberculosis. tu-berculosis. Seventy per cent of nil cases occur between December nnd Mny. It Is 'distinctly a cold weathor Infection. Seemingly by wintry blasts, but especially provalent during dur-ing tho wlntor season only uccnuso Its victims aro rendered moro bus-ccptlblo bus-ccptlblo at that tlmo by exposure, debilitating Influences nnd tho pres ence oi predisposing inrccuons. Pneumonia principally affects thoso at tho extremes of life, but no ngo Is exempt. It Is Invariably n germ disease. Tho predisposing and oxcttlng organisms aro so numerous that it would bo futllo to attempt their enumeration. Many of them aro constantly present in tho mouths and throats of healthy persons and It Is only through tho nld which wo unwittingly extend to them that they oro transformed from harmless organisms or-ganisms to ono of man's most powerful power-ful enemies. Tho presenco of other diseases Is tho great predisposing causo of pneumonia. pneu-monia. They proparo tho soli for Invasion. In-vasion. Holding first rank In this category Is influenza, tho Increased incidence of pneumonia at this tlmo being largely duo to tho present epidemic epi-demic of la grlppo. Individuals suffering suf-fering from this Infection aro pecu- llarly susceptlblo to rcsplrntory com- L H plications nnd should properly oh- , H servo every hyglento rulo. Inflammn- ?' H tlon of the up-)cr nlr passages, phnr- f ' H yngltls, bronchitis, and tonsllltls, or- tl H ten predlsposo to tho development II H of the dlscaso particularly among tho BvJ nged nnd Infirm. Tho ncuto conta- (j f H gtous diseases of childhood, moro cs- ft H peclally measles and whooping tough I 'BAvJ frequently prcpnro tho way for pneu- ' BBJ monln. Any ono who through ucg- ' BBJ lect or carelessness permits the f ' H spread of theso Infections Is there- fore open to tho severest condemnn- ' " BV tlon. Exhausting dlscaso of whatcv- ! ABB cr nature, is often Bufficlcnt to bo ' BBl reduco our resistance thnt wo nro tin. ' ( VBJ nblo to copo with organisms which ; i' BBBJ bhould bo easily ovorcomo, and hcuco , A H predisposes to the Infection. H Debility, cither temporary or chron- BBJ lc, developing from any causo, In- ' L H creases suscoptlblllty, Rccauso or ; j ' H thlB tho dlscaso most often attacks j, " BBB thoso nt tho extremes of Ufa. Among , k' BH debilitating influences must bo iBBH mentioned cold, exposure to pene- H trntlng winds, nnd tho chilling of ? 'BBl body surfaces as a result of wetting. ,'i -H The combination of lack of food BBB nnd fntlguo proves particularly ills- ' BBJ nstrous during tho winter season and " H Is n condition to ho nvoldcd whenov- j ,ij BBJ or possible. Dad housing, mental or j BBB physical harassment and overwork BBB nro nllko tho advanco ngonts of tho , l flH infection. Overcrowding, In street ; M cars, theatres, nnd other public pine- M 'BBJ cs, Is unquestionably In Part respon- ' ! i BBJ Blblo for tho spread of pneumonia In ,' J BBJ cities, ns far greater opportunity Is , BBJ thus offered for tho dissemination of V 1 flBJ tho predisposing diseases through in- ! BH dlscrlmlnnto coughing nnd other ;'i BH means o' droplet Infection, ns well g ; BBH as tho directly Injurious effects that ! T'iBBi Inevitably result from exposuro to i I IcflTfll such environment. Tho overheating I jtJH of rooms Is also seemingly harmful. I i'divBH Promiscuous expectoration may ho, jj , I jH and probably 1b, a factor In Infection j' H and consequently should bo avoided , j. jJAvJ by overy citizen. A remaining most ' ' f ''jMVJ Important agent should bo mention- fl I mI cd alcohol. It Is In truth tho hand :, ' iiVAVJ maiden Of pneumonia nnd thoro Is ' f '' nono moro certain or moro euro of , BBJ bucccbs, especially if liberally1 and H '' BvJ continuously used. j' BBB Whllo tho foregoing facts constl- J;;,' BBJ tulo In part our knowlcdgo of tho h (, ' reasons for tho widopsread uissemi- r - l,BBB nation of nn Infection which carries ll YBBB with it a mortality of from ten to H'ii BBBi thirty por cent, It should be remom- U H bored that our scientific data are not j jH yet comploto. There are problems i' 3AVJ connected with immunity predlsposl- ' ' 'H tlon and tho occurrenco of epidemics I '!' 1 " VBJ which aro yet to bo solved. It is 4j, xH known that pneumonia frequently at- if IvBBBi tacks thoso who aro perfectly well, j'.EBBH and who apparently havo observed , iBBBi ovory hygienic rulo. Whether this l 'PBbI duo to tho Increased virulence of tho i" )AVJ organism or to other causes is unox- $ ' -flVBBl plained. It Is, howover, recognized . i jJ that avoidance of tho factors so , j jBJ brlfly enumerated Willi In largo part J , BH diminish Individual suscoptlblllty and 0 'BBj thcroforo tho lncldcnco of tho dls- H eaB. mmm h U!' |
