PNEUMONIA.
Pneumonia is a general infection, excited by a special organism—the pneumococcus—and manifested by a local inflammatory process in the lung and severe systemic disturbances.
Exposure to cold and lowered vitality from overwork, alcoholism, or some previous disease render persons liable to infection.
Symptoms.—These consist in a decided chill, pain in the side, fever rising rapidly to 104°-105° F., and lasting for five, seven, nine, or eleven days, and then rapidly falling; cough; tenacious bloody expectoration, shortness of breath, delirium and stupor, and physical signs indicating a solid condition of the affected lung.
In fatal cases death usually results from exhaustion, the result of the systemic poisoning, but occasionally it is due to a failure of the heart to propel the blood through the solid lung, to suffocation, or a complication, such as inflammation of the covering of the heart (pericarditis) or lining of the heart (endocarditis).
Management.—The room should be well ventilated, but free from drafts. The temperature should be maintained between 65° and 70° F. Cool water should be given freely. The points mentioned in connection with temperature, respiration, and pulse in dealing with typhoid fever are applicable here. Note the frequency of cough, the amount and character of expectoration, and whether the latter is raised readily or with difficulty. Note the occurrence of pain and its location; also amount of sleep, amount of nourishment, amount of urine, number of stools, etc., and the effect of sponging, of medicines, and of local applications. Clean the mouth and teeth at intervals, being extremely careful, however, in all manipulations not to tire or exhaust the patient.