120 The Story of the Bacteria 



well by the discharges from mouth and nose, 

 especially by unguarded spitting, coughing, 

 and sneezing. It is readily killed by drying 

 and by disinfectants, and does not ap- 

 parently thrive outside the bodies of human 

 beings. But it may linger alive and virulent 

 for a long time in the mouth and nose of 

 convalescents or those associated with pa- 

 tients, and so it is carried all over the world 

 when once the virulent strain gets started 

 as it did in 1889-91. 



The safeguards against influenza lie, as in 

 so many of the infections, in care for the 

 general health, proper care of the secretions, 

 and judicious toilet of the mouth. The doc- 

 tor knows best what to do when you have 

 got it, and it is well to call him in, for there 

 is much misery while it is going on and serious 

 results sometimes if you are indiscreet, and he 

 can almost always help the body to overcome 

 or outwit the unwelcome intruders. 



Colds 



Of all the infectious diseases, the so-called 

 "colds" are the most frequent. We have all 



