50 BACTERIOLOGY. 



chiefly in the lungs. With this conception of the 

 disease in mind, it js easy to* understand how the 

 complications such as otitis media (a suppuration of 

 the middle ear) and meningitis may occur. 



That pneumonia may be communicated from 

 one person to another is proved! by the outbreaks of 

 the disease in epidemic form in crowded buildings 

 such as barracks and hospitals. It is not spread by 

 direct contact, however, as frequently as are many of 

 the other infectious diseases. During the course of 

 pneumonia the pneumococcus is present in large 

 numbers in the sputum and, as the pneumonic sputum 

 is usually tenacious and difficult to expel, the hands 

 and bed-linen are frequently contaminated by it. By 

 coughing and sneezing the virus may be scattered 

 about the sickroom and hospital ward, and in this 

 precau- way become a part of the dust. Precautions therefore 

 should be taken to collect all sputum in paper* boxes 

 or napkins and to burn it. The hands of the patient 

 should be kept clean with disinfectant (bichloride of 

 mercury i : 1000), and any contamination of the 

 clothing should be disinfected promptly. It is ad- 

 visable for attendants on pneumonia patients to dis- 

 infect the hands after handling the patient. Rooms 

 and apartments that have been occupied by pneu- 

 monia patients should be disinfected at the termina- 

 tion of the illness. 



Cerebrospinal meningitis is an infectious disease 

 in which the agent of infection produces an inflamma- 

 tion of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. 



