Is pneumonia catching? Can it be prevented or avoided?
How to Prevent
Pneumonia
Q. Is pneumonia catching? Can it be prevented or
avoided?
A. Recent investigations have shown that there are
four types of pneumonia, varying in virulence and fatality. One form of the
disease is produced by germs which are found in the
mouths of people who live in cities. This
form of the disease, fortunately, produces a
very mild type of the disease and is rarely fatal.
The other types of
pneumonia are caught by infection from other
persons just as is typhoid fever, small pox
and measles.
The germs of pneumonia are sent into the air by coughing, sneezing and speaking. In this way the infection is scattered.
Persons who have apparently recovered from pneumonia
often carry the germs in the nasal secretions and sputum for weeks, possibly
longer, and thus become carriers of the
disease.
Two things are necessary to produce pneumonia, a pneumonia germ and a susceptible patient.
A person whose resistance is sufficiently
high may meet any number of pneumonia germs without danger. The germs are received,
but they are unable to obtain a foothold and
develop the characteristic disease.
Fresh air in
abundance day and night, care in diet, avoidance of poison habits, alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, etc., daily cold bathing, avoidance
of contact with
persons suffering from pneumonia, grip or hard colds, these are the principal means
of increasing resistance and combating the
disease.