OCR Text |
Show U. S, HEALTH SERVICE ISSUES WARNING Increase in All Respiratory Diseases Dis-eases After the Influenza Epidemic Probable. Influenza Expected to Lurk for Months. How to Guard Against Pneumonia, Common Colds Highly Catching lm. ! portanceof Suitable Clothlrfg Could Save 100,000 Lives. Washington, D. C With the subsidence subsid-ence of the epidemic of Influenza the attention of health officers la directed to pneumonia, bronchitis . and other diseases of the - respiratory system which regularly cause a large number of deaths, especially during the winter season. According to Rupert Blue, Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, these diseases will be especially prevalent this winter win-ter unless the people are particularly careful to obey health Instructions. "The present epidemic," said Surgeon Sur-geon General Blue, "has taught by bitter bit-ter experience how readily a condition beginning apparently as a Blight cold may go on to pneumonia and death. Although the worst of the epidemic Is over, there will continue to be a large number of scattered cases, many of them mild and unrecognized, which will be danger spots to be guarded against." The Surgeon General likened the present situation to that after a great fire, saying, "No Are chief who understands his business stops playing the hose on the charred debris as soon as the flames and visible fire have disappeared. dis-appeared. On the contrary, he continues con-tinues the water for hours and even days, for he knows that there Is danger dan-ger of the fire rekindling from smoldering smol-dering emhers." "Then you fear another outbreak of Influenza?" he was asked. "Not necessarily neces-sarily another large epidemic," said the Surgeon General, "but unless the people learn to reullze the seriousness I of the danger they will be compelled to pay a heavy death toll from pneumo-. n!a and other respiratory diseases. Common Colds Highly Catching. "It is encouraging to observe that pcopje are beginning to learn that ordinary or-dinary coughs and colds are highly catching and are spread from person to person by means of droplets of germ laden mucus. Such droplets are sprayed Into the air when careless or ! Ignorant people cough or sneeze wlth-. wlth-. out covering their mouth and nose. It i Is also good to know that people have i learned something about the value of ! fresh air. In summer, when people I lire largely out of doors, the resplra-' resplra-' !7 diseases' (coughs, cold vpneumo- n'a, etc.) are Infrequent; In the fall, I as people begin to remain Indoors, the respiratory diseases increase; in the ; .winter, when people are prone to stay j In badly ventilated, overheated rooms, ! the respiratory diseases become very j prevalent ; Suitablo Clothing Important. I "Still another factor In the produc- tlon of colds, pneumonia and other re- J spiratory diseases is carelessness or Ig- ! norunce of the ieople regarding sult- ! Hble clothing during the seasons wlicn j the weather suddenly changes, sitting J In warm rooms too heavily dressed or, S what Is even more common, especially i among women, dressing so lightly that J windows are kept closed in order to be 1 comfortably warm. This is a very in- 1 Jurlous practice. Could Save 100,000 Lives. "I believe we could easily save on hundred thousand lives annuully In the United States If all the people would adopt the system of fresh air living followed, for example, In tuler-culosls tuler-culosls sanatoria. There la nothing mysterious alout It no specific medicine, medi-cine, no vaccine. The Important tiling Is right living, good food and plenty ol fresh air. Droplet Infection Explained in Pictures. "The Ittireau of Public Health, Treasury Department, has Just Issued a striking poster drawn by Derrynian, tlie well-known Washington cartoonist. The poster exemplifies the modern method of health eduction. A few years ago, under similar circumstances, the healih authorities would have issued is-sued an ofllclul dry hut scientifically accurate bulletin teaching the role of droplet Infection in the spread of respiratory re-spiratory diseases. The only ones who would have understood the bulletin would have been those who already knew ail about the subject The nmu In the street, the plain citizen und the many millions who toll for their living would have had no time and no desire to wade through the technical phraseology." |