The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-03-17
THE DISEASE WARNING.

All epidemics give distinct and un-
mistakable warnings of their approach.
These warnings consist OF two events:
/. The sudden outbreak and general
spread Of some milder epidemic; and
2. The transformation of ordinary
diseases into diseases of new type.
more or less resembling The character Of
the epidemic.
Hisa singular fact that both in the
middle ages and in modern times the
lesser epidemic which has generally
preceded and pronounced the greater
is influenza This lesser epidemic We
have had, and, strange as il was, the epi-
demic of influenza spread from East to
West. So it has been since the attacks
of influenza have followed an east storm
rather than a western one, as was usual
heretofore. This fact, think, points to
the direction we may expect the coming
greater epidemic.
The next question arises: Are the
ordinary diseases being transformed into
the type of any recognized epidemic?
To establish thts extensive observation
ia necessary. There Is no cholera inl-
preston upon the ordinary diseases SO
far a. have been able TO CLEAN from the
large number of reports Of the prevail
ing disease which have appeared in the
columns Of the United States Medical
Investigator.
Since the recent epidemic Of influenza,
have traced in those reports, which
come from all parts of the country. evil
dence Of light but widespread epidemicF
of measles and it's attendant whooping-
cough. mumps, and scarlet fever. These
latter are now prevailing. and are com
plicated in some cases with diphtheria
Smallpox has pre- evailrd in certain sec
tions, and 80 has typhoid fever. But
none of these have given q general i'm
press to all the ordinary cases Of diseases
OF the well-known epidemics only thres
remain, viz: yellow fever, typhus and
plague. If it waa yellow fever, We would
hear something of Ii from the Southern
and tropic cities. do no not know thai
it is prevailing at any point just now
Then our eyes are turned East instead o.
Sonth. OF typhus we have no reports
Of its prevalence at present, but as far n
my observation and correspondence hav'
reached there is thus early wide spreat
prevailing tendency to typhoid, which
as you know its name indicates, il
typhus-like. This tendency is not, how
ever, strictly typhoid; and the question
arises, What is it?
As WAS reported in the United State
Medical Investigator OF February 10
1876, and corroborated by other mem
bers of the profession, ] have noted sI
unusual depression of the nervous sys
tenn, with = marked tendency to infiam
nation ofthe mucous surfaces. and espe
cially Of the whole glandular system.
never met 80 many cases of indurstiol
and infammation of the glands Of tn
neck, groin. throat, trachea, bowels, etc
in fact Of all parts Of the body. accom-
panied with fever and marked prostra
tion.
There is also tendency to boils, cal
buncles. eruptions Of the skin, which il
dicates that the lymphatic system is b'
ing seriously deranRed. These. as 20
| D1O Ou,a oh fa rss4io ~ AZ
, plague.
The effects above noted are not met
! every case, but are found in those pc
, sons Of q phlegmatic temperament, chic
/. Iy women and children. have recen
ly noticed an increase Of this disease Q,
preston.
|. THE CAUSE OF EPIDEMrcs
Influenza is ushered in by q sudds