PNEUMONIA _Its care and prevention_ Copyright, 1940 John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company of Boston, Massachusetts L63-9-40 PNEUMONIA ITS CARE AND PREVENTION Life Conservation Service of the JOHN HANCOCK MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY of Boston, Massachusetts An Urgent Message: If you suspect that someone in your family has pneumonia, it is vital that you call your doctor without a moment’s delay. If it is pneumonia, hours will count. Newly introduced drugs have proved of great value in curing pneumonia but early medical treatment and prompt nursing care are necessary if the new treatment is to do the most good. That you may know something about pneumonia, the kind of medical treatment and nursing care required, and the ways by which the disease may be prevented, this pamphlet is sent to you. Life Conservation Service of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company of Boston, Massachusetts PNEUMONIA ITS CARE AND PREVENTION Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs. Despite all the progress recently made in the treatment of the disease, it remains among the most common causes of death. Pneumonia is always a serious matter, and should be regarded as an emergency calling for immediate medical care. The inflammation of the lungs may be due to one of a number of different kinds of germ, but the bacteria known as pneumococci cause about four cases out of every five. There are several varieties, or types, of pneumococci and the treatment may vary with the type. Your doctor has at his command some new drugs[A] but for some types of pneumonia he may combine the drug with a curative serum. [A] The different members of this new family of drugs, sulfanilamide, sulfapyridine, sulfathiazol, etc. are used depending upon the nature of the pneumonia. If the inflammation is due to one of the various other germs that cause the remaining fifth of the pneumonia cases, still other treatment may be needed. It is clear, then, that your physician should be called promptly when pneumonia is suspected so that he may have the laboratory tests made that will tell him with what kind of germ infection he has to deal. Then he can decide what kind of treatment to employ. Pneumonia Is Contagious