Lemonade a Microbe Destroyer

1895

Further researches by M. Girard, chief of the Paris municipal laboratory, concerning the bacilli of cholera and typhoid fever have confirmed the efficacy of acids in destroying microbes. He finds citric acid to be the most useful and powerful of all. One gram, be says, added to a quart of tainted water, will destroy all the microbes that may be in it. Consequently he recommends the use of natural lemonade as an excellent beverage at all times, and especially during epidemics. — Sanitary Era.

Half of Us Carry Influenza Germs

1919

BACILLUS PERSIST IN THROAT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

Presence of Microbes Found in Throats of Persons Who Have Never Had Disease.

Almost half of us carry the bacilli of influenza in our noses and throats all the time, according to a large number of investigations made in the last two years.

During the epidemic of influenza last year, Drs. I. W. Pritchett and E. G. Stillman found the bacillus influenzae in the throats and saliva of 42 per cent of 177 healthy persons from whom no history of respiratory infection was obtainable. At the same time Drs. F. T. Lord, A. C. Scott, Jr., and R. N. Nye found them in the pharingeal secretions of 76 per cent of thirty-four healthy men in the Harvard Student Army Training Corps. Dr. E. L. Opie and his collaborators found them in 35.1 per cent of all healthy men examined at Camp Funston.

Many Are Germ Carriers.

Now comes Drs. Agnes I. Windrell and Ernest G. Stillman with a report to the Journal of Experimental Medicine on examinations since the epidemic died out. This indicates that the percentage incidence of those harboring bacillus influenzae in the upper respiratory tract is as great during the post-epidemic period as it was during the influenza epidemic.

During December, 1913, to June, 1919, the percentage of carriers in a group of fifty individuals has averaged 4 per cent per month. In addition, it is of interest that in a boys' orphan asylum in which no cases of influenza had occurred during the epidemic, 30 per cent of throat cultures taken from 99 boys showed the presence of bacillus influenzae.

And this last is the same percentage as was found in fifty-two convalescents from influenza in an institution for girls.

Germ Persists for Months.

"It is evident," writes these investigators, "that bacillus influenzae may persist in the throats of healthy carriers for a considerable period of time." They cite six cases in which it persisted for five months and in thirteen others for four months.

Therefore, as nearly every second person has the germs of this disease in his throat, it behooves us all to be very careful to keep up our strength by cleanliness, fresh air and wholesome food in order that we may not lose our powers of resistance and open the way for these deadly microbes to invade our blood in such force that we cannot repel their attack.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 9.

Rules For Right Living

1902

For the man or woman, whether young or old, who wishes health, which means happiness, the following simple rules were gathered:

Pin them up where you will see them. But do not let that be all you do. Read them again and again, and, best of all, act upon them.

Eight hours' sleep.
Sleep on your right side.
Keep your bedroom window open all night.
Have a mat to your bedroom door.
Do not have your bedstead against the wall.
No cold water in the morning, but a bath at the temperature of the body.
Exercise before breakfast.
Eat little meat, and see that it is well cooked.
For adults, drink no milk.
Eat plenty of fat to feed the cells which destroy disease germs.
Avoid intoxicants, which destroy those cells.
Daily exercise in the open air.
Allow no pet animals in your living rooms; they are likely to carry about disease germs.
Live in the country if you can.
Watch the three D's — drinking water, damp, drains.
Take frequent and short holidays.
Limit your ambition.
Keep your temper. — New York American.

Note: This article and its advice is from 1902. Please check with your physician or neighborhood scientist before screwing up your life too much.

Hearing for the Deaf on Pike's Peak

Editorial briefs, Sept. 1910

A deaf man who climbed Pike's Peak found he could hear at that altitude. But the difficulty of the cure practically lies in the fact that it takes up his residence where he can hear there will be nobody for him to listen to.

Tarred, feathered and bitten is the New Jersey variation according to that story of the victim wbo was left thus scantily attired as the prey of the mosquitoes.

When a young married couple go away by aeroplane on their honeymoon their destination is sufficiently uncertain to fulfill all the requirements.

Perhaps the same fellows who are searching for germs in ice cream this summer will be hunting for them in our buckwheat cakes next winter.

If they insist on confiscating ice cream cones the small boy and some big ones, too, will be robbed of one of their most palatable enjoyments.

Will the insurance companies demand increased premiums from those who love to see the airships go round?

Drinking Cup Sediment Kills a Pig

1910

CHICAGO — Public drinking cups are dangerous. They are excellent mediums for transmitting the germs of disease. Especially is this true in public and parochial schools where a large number of children are compelled to use the same cups, according to the health bureau.

Statistics show about one person in sixty has tuberculosis, and among school children there always are those who have some of the communicable diseases in light form, and these undoubtedly are communicated by the use of the common cup.

So fully is this understood that several states have passed laws abolishing the public drinking cup, and compelling railroads and public carriers to supply individual ones. The plan also has been advocated in schools, but the better and safer plan is believed to be the installation of what are known as "bubbling" cups with the water flowing over the rims all the time.

A cup used in a high school for several months without having been washed was found to be lined inside with a thick brownish deposit. Under the microscope this deposit proved to be composed of particles of mud, thousands of bits of dead skin, and millions of bacteria. Some of this sediment was injected under the skin of a healthy guinea pig and forty hours later the pig died. An examination afterward showed that pneumonia germs had caused death. A second guinea pig was inoculated with some of the sediment from the same cup and developed tuberculosis. Careful inquiry showed that several pupils in this school from which the cup was taken were then suffering from consumption.

An agitation is urged asking the school board to install the "bubbling" cups in all schools.

Rules for the Consumptive

1914

New Jersey Board of Health in Laudable Endeavor to Prevent Spread of Tuberculosis

Acting under a law of 1912, the New Jersey state board of health has issued the following rules, which are to be followed by all consumptives in that state:

1. All persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis (consumption) shall effectively destroy their sputum (spit).

2. All persons suffering from running sores due to any form of tuberculosis shall burn all soiled dressings immediately after removal.

3. The room occupied by a tuberculosis patient shall have at least one outside window.

4. No person suffering from pulmonary or other communicable form of tuberculosis shall handle food designed for the use of others except when necessary in the performance of household duties, unless the food be wrapped in such a way as to protect it from contamination or unless some necessary subsequent process of preparation such as cooking will sterilize it.

5. The manufacturing of any kind of goods for commercial purposes or the performance of any work known as "shop work" in the home of any person suffering from pulmonary or other communicable form of tuberculosis, is prohibited, unless the product is such as can be sterilized, and unless sterilization is done in strict accordance with the requirements of the local board of health.

Grouch Germ is Discovered

1910

New Form of Bacillus Particularly Active In Hot Weather Found in Kansas City

Kansas City, Mo. — A new germ, as yet unnamed, has just been discovered in Kansas City. It is a hot weather bacillus and affects young and old alike, being particularly noxious in adults, it is said, and producing a chronic case of what ordinarily is called the "grouch."

The discoverers of this germ are Dr. E. L. Mathias, chief probation officer, and his assistants, who constantly are making a study of human nature and, by the way, this particular bug is one which attacks human nature only.

"It is a hot weather bug," said Doctor Mathias, "and can produce the worst case of grouch in a short time that you ever saw.

"Just now we juvenile officers have little to do so far as the juvenile court is concerned, but we are kept busy as bees looking after what we call hot weather business.

"Somehow or other, this hot weather seems to 'peeve' everybody. It takes the form of grouch in adults and the form of what the grown-ups are pleased to call 'devilment' in children.

"A man lies down to take a nap of a hot afternoon. He is just tuckered out by the heat, he says, and a nap will straighten him out. Just as he gets comfortably settled, boys or girls in the neighborhood begin to romp, and, of course, they call back and forth, and the would-be napper is annoyed.

"Then the irate adult goes outdoors. He is hard hit by the weather bug. He loses his temper and gives the children a calling down. The bug, in turn, attacks the juveniles, and they answer back and make life miserable for the complaining one.

"About that time we got a call concerning a big disturbance. Some of the men go out, learn it is the same old story, and it is up to them to explain to the adult that children must play and that they can't be expected to conduct their game after the fashion of a Friends' meeting. They also lecture the children and take steps to restore the equilibrium of the neighborhood which is ravaged by the summer bug."

The juvenile officers have not gone into the investigation of the bug in scientific fashion, and as yet have worked out no cure.

Love Scorns Conventions (humor)

1909

Sincere.
"Sir," said the young man, respectfully, "I am a poor man and you are a millionaire. It seems presumptuous in me, no doubt, to aspire to the hand of your daughter. But my love for her is so great that I cannot be stopped by such considerations. Love scorns conventions and conveniences. Ah, sir, will you give her to me?" The old magnate seemed interested. "But which of my four daughters do you want?" he asked, not unkindly. Eagerly the suitor made answer: "Oh, I'll leave that to you, sir."


A True Detective.
Running his hands underneath the chairs, the detective said: "This is a bachelor apartment. No women have been here for months."
"How do you know that?" inquired the reporter.
"Because, sir," the detective answered, wisely, "I find no chewing gum concealed about the place."— Cleveland Leader.


Her Little Plan.
The Spinster—Why, Mrs. Browning, what are you going to do with that pail?
The Widow—My late husband's last request was that his grave be kept green and as I am about to marry again I concluded to give it a coat of green paint.—Chicago Daily News.


Common Profanity.
"I'll be deviled!" said the ham.
"I'll be switched!" said the train.
"I'll be darned!" said the sock.
"I'll be stumped!" said the tree.
"I'll be blowed!" said the horn.
"I'll be hanged!" said the picture.
"I'll he dammed!" said the stream. -Judge.


The American Habit.
Briggs—I suppose if I accept your invitation to go to that dinner you will want me to make a speech.
Griggs—No, my dear fellow, you see it's this way. Everybody we have invited so far wants to make a speech, and what I am trying to do now in to get together a few listeners.—Life.


Scientific.
A Germ and a Goblin met one day. and the Goblin gave the Germ the wall. Grudgingly, however.
"I'd be as big a bugbear as you if only science had chosen to take me up as seriously!" muttered the Goblin, with a sour air.—Life.

The Germ Theory — Daniel Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year

1903

Defoe Gave a Hint of It In the Early Eighteenth Century

Defoe's "Journal of the Plague Year," published in 1722, contains two passages which grope toward bacteriology. Defoe himself pretends to disbelieve the theories. But his way is to seem to doubt what he is really eager to advance.

Having shown that contagion was almost certain in the case of people living in the same house, but often avoidable by segregation and precaution against physical contact, Defoe says:

"This put it out of question to me that the calamity was spread by infection — that is to say, by some certain steams or fumes, which the physicians call effluvia, which effluvia affected the sound who came within certain distances of the sick. Others talk of infection being carried on by the air only by carrying with it vast numbers of insects and invisible creatures, who enter into the body with the breath or even at the pores with the air and there generate or emit most acute poisons or poisonous ova or eggs, which mingle themselves with the blood and so infect the body."

In another place is this passage:

"I have heard it was the opinion of others that it (the disease) might be distinguished by the party's breathing upon a piece of glass, where, the breath condensing, there might living creatures be soon by a microscope of strange, monstrous and frightful shapes, such as dragons, snakes, serpents and devils, horrible to behold. But this I very much question the truth of, and we had no microscopes at the time, as I remember, to make the experiments with."

Insane Suspect in Arson Investigation Sets Fires to Form "New World in Air"

Pennsylvania, 1920

Weird Story Related at County Jail by Maniac From Austria

Denies School Burnings

Frank Karna, Arrested by State Police at Webster, Says He is Agent in Two Counties of Band Formed at Przemyal; Fired Lumber Yards

In the arrest yesterday afternoon at Webster, Westmoreland county, of Frank Karna, an Austrian, who was placed in jail in Uniontown the authorities have a maniac who has confessed to burning three lumber yards and a stable at Webster. That is the extent of the connection they have made between the prisoner and the fires in Fayette and Westmoreland counties that have caused a loss of $500,000.

Karna, whose conversation is of the rambling nature of the mentally unbalanced, denies that he had anything to do with the school house burnings, that he ever burned a school house anywhere.

Questioned this morning Karna told the officers he was working under an organization with headquarters in Przemyal, Austria, and that he had been assigned to start fires in Fayette and Westmoreland counties for a peculiar purpose. The theory of his organization, as he related it, is this:

That the smoke from the fires started by the organization goes into the air and forms a new world — one without ills, by reason of the fact that all germs are killed in the fiery process. This is the only remedy for the troubles now besetting the human race. The world is too old, it has stood too long in one place. It needs a change as a chicken house needs to be changed from spot to spot to allow the sunshine to kill the germs of disease that accumulate. The world will be happy as soon as all germs are destroyed. This will be when his organization has set sufficient fires.

Karna is six feet tall. He has a wild, staring look, with a weirdly serious expression of the face. He told the officers he came to America eight years ago and has lived at Rankin, Webster, Pittsburgh and Donora. He has two brothers at Donora.

Referring to the organization set up to cure the ills of the world by arson, Karna said the "captain" was John Yelen of Przemysl; the "farmer," Yuzef Bukowsky; the "justice of the peace," John Putys; the "burgess," Yedicy Tydzik, all of Sivysouigalicyoi, Austria.

While the officers were inclined last night to believe they had the firebug who had terrorized the two counties for weeks, they were today without anything on which to base any such presumption. The prisoner told an entirely different story today from that drawn from him after his arrest when he declared an "irresistible something" caused him to start fires and that before he could tell more he must "get some rest so he could think."

The story that the man had confessed to the burning of the Marion school building at Fayette City is denied.

Officers are convinced that no one man started all the fires. They were too widespread.

The arrest was made by state troopers.

—The Daily Courier, Connellsville, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1920, page 1.