Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1920-06-16 | Page 4 | Health

' HEALTH BY UNCLE SAM, M. D. Health Questions Will Be An-swercd An-swercd If Sent to Information Bureau, U. S. Public Health Service, Serv-ice, Washington, D. C. -1 SPIT-BORNE DISEASES. Spit-borne diseases are those diseases dis-eases spread by tho transfer of spit (sputum) from infected to non-infect-cd persona. Dlscasos Included under this classification arc tuberculosis, pneumonia, influonza, 'tonsllltls, bronchitis, bron-chitis, measles, mumps, scarlet fever, whooping cough, dlptherla and ccrc-bro-spinal meningitis. It is disgusting to realize how theso dlsoascr. arc spread, for In order to get any of these diseases one must Introduce Intro-duce into his nose or mouth sputum from some person who has the diseuso or who still harbors the germs which produce these diseases. Improperly cleaned eating and drinking utensils, common drinking cups and roller towels are common vehicles for tnis transfor of disease germs. The hands also play a very important part m transferring sputum from the nose and mouth from ono person to another. Many times each day the hands carry sputum from tho noso and mouth to some other objects for example, to a doorknob, a coin, a pencil. From these objecta other persons readily carry it to thoir own mouth and nose. If the secretions from tho mouth and noso were bright green In color, wc would promptly realize how universally uni-versally widespread is human sputum. "Droplet Infection" also plays a pari in the spread of these diseases. By "droplet Infection' is meant the in-halation in-halation of tiny dropleLj of sputum j sprayed Into the air by infected per- sons during coughing or sneezing. Cold and fatigue are known to lower resistance resist-ance to disease. Some suggestions for preventing splt-borno diseases arc: Avoid prolonged exposure and excessive ex-cessive fatigue. Avoid 3udden chilling. Avoid sleeping with insufficient cover. Provide sufficient ventilation. Heating Heat-ing is equally as Important as ventilation. ventila-tion. Avoid contact with sputum or nasal discharges from persons affected with tho disease. Avoid close contact with persons suffering from the disease. Avoid use of articles used bv persons per-sons with the disease, as dishes, 'drinking 'drink-ing cups or towola.