Show Keeping Up P I It Science Service W U Service Scrums May Nearly Halve Deaths Due to Pneumonia Public Must Learn to Demand That Therapy New Orleans La Universally Universally a and reasonably adequate application tion of serum scrum treatment of lobar could be expected to produce a 46 per cent reduction in deaths from this disease This Trus hopeful news coming at a time when are taking a somewhat heavier toll was given the American Public Health association association association by Dr Edward S. S Rogers director of the New York department department depart depart- ment of health's bureau of pneumonia pneumonia pneumonia monia control Pneumonia is third among all causes of death in the United States Slates Statistical analysis shows that 64 per cent of the lobar pneumonia cases are arc likely to be due to of types I II V VII and I VIII For all of these eff effective specific cHic antiserum in limited quantities is at present available Serum Therapy Still Limited Although limited use of serum began in 1911 and general distribution of Type I Irum serum sarum rum occurred in New York state as long ago as DS 1916 Dr Rogers found that the available knowledge and practice of serum therapy is not being sufficiently widely applied Universal or even adequate use of serum on a wide scale is most unlikely of attainment Dr Rogers admitted but if the results fell far short of the estimate he makes it would still be worth the effort Public Must Be Educated Education of the public to accept and e even en n demand these newer methods methods methods meth meth- of pneumonia treatment was urged by Dr Rogers who explained that such education was not easy because of the common tendency of the layman to put off medical consultation even in the face of such I obvious illness as pneumonia The active participation of public public pub pub- lic lie health agencies in the field of pneumonia control is a matter of comparatively r recent e c e en n t development development develop develop- develop I ment Dr Rog Rogers rs explained This might seem surprising were it not for the fact that means for so participating participating participating par par- heretofore have been I lacking Moreover there have been two clinical con concepts almost axiomatic which have unquestionably served to retard such progress 1 That the I survival or death of a pneumonia I patient could be influenced very li littie little lit lit- I ItIe tIe tle by whatever skill the physician had to offer 2 That pneumonia as a cause caus of death was of importance tance only to the infant about which nothing could be done and to the aged about which there was little inclination to attempt to do any any- thing Today neither of these concepts is longer held true since we now IPOS possess sS established means of treating treat treat- ling ing pneumonia and we recognize that a large proportion about 75 per cent of deaths from this cause occur before the age of sixty-five sixty years and consequently during a time of life of eith either r actual or potential potential potential po po- po- po eco economic importance |