Show IMMUNITY FROM PNEUMONIA May Be Ensured by Healthy Living and Attention to Sanitary Conditions Though modern modem medical science has decided that pneumonia is an Infectious infectious infectious disease that fact need not terrify terrify terrify ter ter- if one take a little trouble to learn something about tue It Itis Itis Itis is produced by a special microbe the existence of which is so common Inthe in inthe inthe the mouth of even healthy individuals that it is considered almost as a normal nor normal nor nor- normal mal inhabitant of the upper part of ot the digestive tract One One reason why the saliva of a human being is likely to prove fatal to animals if injected is because the special property of the germ germis is to produce pus whenever it gains entrance directly under the tissues It does not produce produce pro pro- duce a purulent inflammation in pneumonia pneumonia monia because it lies on the mucous membrane of the lungs but does not gain an entrance into the tissues Sometimes it finds Its way Into the blood but does not produce serious results results results re re- re- re unless the patient Is much run down F From om these facts it can be seen that the problem of the method by which pneumonia is contracted Is exceedingly exceeding exceeding- ly difficult The presence of the germ germis is no not sufficient alone to produce the disease but there must be a certain predisposition on the part of the patient patient patient pa pa- tient followed by the deposition of this germ on a mucous membrane Though the method of the distrIbution distribution distribution tion of the disease is not known definitely defInitely definitely def def- it is acquired by mingling with crowds at a time when one is extremely extreme extreme- ly tired or when for some reason reason or other the interval since taking food has been longer than usual Dr Anders who is an authority on says in an article on lobar pneumonia The coincidence of existing exIsting existing ex ex- low temperatures high barometrIc barometric barometric baro baro- metric pressure the direction and velocity velocity velocity ve ve- of t and maximum mor mor- mor from pneumonia is so uniformly constant as to suggest a close and di direct direct direct di- di relation between their combined influence and the progress of mortalIty mortality mortality mortal mortal- ity from pneumonia But he adds the major influence by the seasons however Is probably not direct that thatIs thatis Is by a lowering of the bodily temperature temperature temperature tem tem- resistance due to the low temperature high barometric pressure direction and velocity of the wind etc but indirect namely by bringing about that effective element in the causation concentration and Increased virulence of the specific poison In consequence con con- sequence of closed doors and windows and lack of free ventilation From these facts we see that we may procure immunity from pneumonia pneumonia pneumonia monia by healthy living and that sanitary sanitary sanitary san san- conditions are needed rather than protective serums The Japanese give us a lesson In this for they are essentially a people who live In n fresh air and sunshine Personal cleanliness is another factor in the prevention of tuberculosis and pneumonia which are house diseases |