COMMON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 



One of the most appalling occurred in a small 

 town in Pennsylvania (population 6,000) in 

 1864, when it is said that some four hundred 

 children lost their lives. The very best med- 

 ical attention and most careful nursing are 

 necessary to bring about recovery. 



Pneumonia. Pneumonia is one of the ^jj^ Germ of 

 most serious of all diseases due to the invasion th« Disease, 

 of the human structure by bacteria. The 

 special germ to which this disease owes its 

 origin is the diplococcus pneumonia, or 

 "Fraenkel's diplococcus lanceolatus," which is 

 also said to produce meningitis, pleurisy and 

 ulcerative endocarditis. The disease produced 

 in all cases is an inflammation, the manifesta- 

 tion of which is modified by the portion of the 

 body invaded. Pneumonia is an inflammation 

 of the lungs, sometimes of one or more of the 

 lobes of one lung, sometimes of the lobes of 

 both lungs, or it may be an inflammation of all 

 of both lungs. Endocarditis is an inflammation 

 of the endocardium or membrane . lining the 

 heart. Meningitis is an inflammation of the 

 meninges or membranes which enclose and 

 cover the brain and spinal cord. These various 

 organs have various functions ; this function is 

 interfered with when the organ becomes in- 

 flamed and the symptoms are different, while 

 the cause may be the same. The germ was 

 discovered first in the lungs in pneumonia and 

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