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11
over the nose and mouth during coughing or sneezing is desirable,
no less from a hygenIc point of view than from that of good
manners. Any person on becoming infected even in a mild
degree should isolate himself during the period of infectivity.
Medical advice should in all cases be sought, and great
care should be exercised during the period of convalescence
as it is chiefly during this period that the dangerous sequæla
Pneumonia, which causes so many deaths, is apt to supervene.
A weak solution of permanganate of potash sniffed up the nostrils
at intervals is recommended as a preventative. A most important
point to remember is to increase one's natural resistence
to its fullest extent, which means doing all possible to maintain
a high standard of general health. Thus a good plain nourishing
diet is best, and everything that tends to lower the general health
is to be studiously avoided—worry, fatigue, long hours, and
excess of all kinds, particularly alcoholic excess.
Leaflets of instructions on the above lines were delivered
at every house in the district.
Kinemas, by reason of their long hours of continuous performance,
were credited with perhaps more than their due share
in propagating the disease, and in Leyton they were all compelled
to close and thoroughly ventilate their halls in accordance
with the Order of the Local Government Board.
The Health Visitors and all the available nurses did their
utmost in visiting and attending on cases.
In particular the nurses of the Essex County Nursing Association
did yeoman service. The medical practitioners of the
district were worked to their utmost and did all in their power
to cope with the disease, but their time was too fully occupied
with the clinical side to allow of any researches into the bacteriological
aspect. The Council, however, have made arrangements
for bacteriological examinations, through the Medical
Officer of Health, of any material the doctors desire