130 THE ACUTE SELF-LIMITED INFECTIONS 



ance and not producing disease for long periods after 

 the acute symptoms have subsided. When they are 

 received in sputum particles upon the nose or mouth 

 of another person not resistant to them, they regain 

 their activity and inflame the parts. It is said that 

 they may remain in the lung tissue for a long time 

 until some reduction of the person's resistance permits 

 the lighting up of a pneumonia. 



With these facts in mind it is not difficult to under- 

 stand how sporadic cases occur and how the disease 

 spreads rapidly from one patient to another. The 

 bacilli get to work on the mucous membranes rapidly, 

 and the incubation period is short, three days at the 

 longest. Epidemics have been known to spread over 

 whole continents in a season. Many observers believe 

 that other organisms, notably streptococci, help in 

 the production of these acute influenzal colds. It is 

 undoubtedly true that the influenza bacillus is seldom 

 found in pure culture, that is, in absence of some other 

 organism with pathogenic properties. The bacilli are 

 found in the excretions and secretions from the nose, 

 mouth, and lungs. All excretions should be received 

 into carbolic acid solution, and the mouth and nose fre- 

 quently douched with a mild antiseptic. The nurse and 

 members of the family should use care with the nose and 

 mouth in frequent rinsing with weak antiseptics, such as 

 hydrogen peroxide. For diagnosticating this disease 

 smears and cultures are made from some of the glisten- 

 ing mucus at the back of the throat or a good specimen 

 of sputum coughed from the lungs. The smears on 

 slides are stained with appropriate dyes. Under the 

 microscope the delicate rods are found in pairs on end, 



