All right, I've done a little research on pneumonia, and the theory is that some types are contagious - others aren't. Pneumonia just means "inflamation of the lungs" and can be caused by foriegn bacteria, viruses, or bacteria that is already present in the mouth and throat.
Since I haven't contracted pneumonia (knock on wood), it's a safe bet that it isn't the contagious type. One of the causes of pneumonia can be different types of "dust"; miners run a higher risk of pneumonia because of this. This leads me to believe that the exposure to galvanized steel dust is a culprit in the Wonderful Spouse's current condition (it doesn't help that he smokes either).
And that, class, is your short (very short) medical lesson for the day.
I knew that there were two different types, and had assumed that WS's was of a pneumococcal type--failing to consider that perhaps the co-workers got it from working under the same conditions rather than from being around one another. Thanks for the concise treatise. I couldn't have begun to explain what I thought I knew, so well!
Posted by: Cop Car | September 25, 2004 at 11:45 AM