From the Editor
Our cover this week is Pneumonia, which is an infection of the lungs that partially solidifies the normally spongy tissues of this important organ. This is the reason the doctor hears a solid instead of a hollow sound when he taps the chest of a patient with pneumonia. Pneumonia is caused by either the pneumococcus or certain other bacteria, or by viruses, and both types are infectious. Most people carry the microorganisms in their throats but dont succumb to the disease unless the body is weakened and their resistance to infection becomes lowered. Favourable condition for Pneumonia is usually created after an attack of influenza, a few days after ordinary cold begins, whooping cough or measles, and/or over exposure to cold after intensive sweating and insufficient rest etc.
The symptoms of this disease are a cough, sharp chest pains, blood-streaked sputum, and a high fever which is generally preceded by a chill. Bacterial Pneumonia was one of the leading killers a couple of generation ago, but no more to day due to Penicillin and other potent antibiotics.
The danger to the patients life has been practically eliminated if treatment is started well in time. However, these miracle drugs are not effective if the disease process has made too much headway. Virus Pneumonia is also called primary atypical pneumonia because it was once far less common than the bacterial variety. But now that pneumonias due to bacteria are under control, the virus type has become quite prevalent. A vaccination is now available for pneumococcal pneumonia.
