Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-23
ESPECIAL rEIEeRAM TO rHA DisPArcH.r

ESPECIAL TKLEeRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.I
PHILADELPHIA, December 22.-Much
as the blizzard nearly two years ago swooped
down upon Philadelphia and all this section
of country, so has the influenza come. 1t is
infectious, but not contagious. A medical
expertsaid idto-nighttherewere over 2. 900 cases
already in Philadelphia, and another very
high authority said that it had reached the
city within 24'hours, and had come with
such a rush, something like cloud of dust,
that he expected within another day to see
hundreds and thousands attacked.
The epidemic in this country seems to be
somewhat mild, and has duration Of from
two to seven days. It is not limited to any
section of territory, but is raging severely
along the main line Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad. Fourteen Of the nurses
in the Philadelphia hospital are
now in bed, three more having
succumbed early this morning. The condi-
ton of those who were taken down yesterday
remains about the same. One or two OF the
nurses tried to get up to-day, but after a
little struggle thought it best to remain
where they were.
VERY SLIGHT ATTACKS.
Two of the resident physicians have had
slight attacks, but they have kept at their
duties right along. Miss Marion E. Smith,
the chief nurse, is improving and expects to
be about tomorrow.
DR.. R. Glurtin said that the epidemic was
in the air, and would alight wherever it
could find a nest. It was a result, he
thought, OF atmospheric conditions, and
attacks persons whose nervous temperament
is overstrung.
It is thought by some that the disease
came with the fog that has prevailed here
several days, and therefore that those
who live along or near the rivers
may be quickest attacked by it.
The theory accounts for its presence
in the Philadelphia Hospital which
is on the Schuylkill, but singularly
enough, not more than one or two patients
have it, and in the University Hos
pital, near the river, there is not a
single case. DIR. James G. Wilson is
an acknowledged expert on influenza, hav-
ing written extensively on the subject. He
was on the jump to-day, all day. and rushed
as we'll in the evening. He bounced into
his Office, where a reporter was awaiting his
return, and said:
TOO BUSY TO TALK.
Pm SO busy that haven't time to talk. Got
to go right out again on an important engage
ment. Yes, think the grip is here. 1 said on
FRIDAY, Wnen GneEo were only nall q QOzon cases
in New York or Boston on record, that If it did
come it would be with a rush. and there
would be a general afliction. think it's come.
have seen great many cases to-day Cannot
tell you about them now, but Pm quite conf
dent the epidemic is here, and in large num-
bers.
DR.. Curtin, another physician. who has a
dozen cases under his care, says he knows
OF fully 100 others. He said:
/ think 1000 cases is a low estimate, and
probably the number is fully twice that,
throughout the city It is only few days ago,
since It started in Russia. that 1t hasn't been
spread by contact or by the winds. 1t couldn't
have reached here by this time. 1t is
therefore, infectious, and whenever 1t can find
resting place it alIghts. Those persons who
are especially liable to be attacked are per-
sons of high nervous temperament
and who are somewhat run down. 1t affects
the pulmonary organs, in some cases producing
coughing and some pam. The temperature
goes up like rocket, and comes down just as
swift Take the nurses at the Philadelphia
hospital. Some of them had a temperature Of
loo degrees, and after it had subsidized, it left
pr0stration dozen times more severe than the
prostration resultant upon chills and fever.