The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-12-24
MOVING RAPIDLY WEST.
The Influenza Epidemic Now at Du-
luth on Its Way Across the
Country
The History of the Disease as
Traced by Prominent
Physician.
The First Record Appears In 1880 aud tho
Last until the Present In 1870
Frightfui Mortality.

MNNrAroLIs, Dec. gl.--A special from
Duluth says the Russian influenza has ar
rived at that city. Physicians report thirty
cases.
DR.. 7, c. Minor, concerning the discnso.
snys in the last number II the lancet Clin-
ic: Dispatches from Europe Indicate tlo
rapid spread of epidemic catatrh over Il
entire continent, and the extension of the
disease 10 North America IL onlyn mntter of
time. Influenza of the tyre usually oh.
served in periods Of pnndcmics Is fnr from
bong tIiuRl affection. q heavy mortality
amung the young and aged having hrefi
noted IN mnry outbreaks. Like almost All
known pundemics. this dsease travels from
enst tow,st.s that itb trrt appearance in the
United States will he noted along the At
lantlc scahoard. In many iuslnncea dogs.
cats and horses have been attacked mt ihs
shme time as man; this was most marked
feature in England in l775.
Tho history of epidemic cntnrrh dates
back only 10 the the thirteenth G, ntury, nj.
though i Is true that bippucratcs, ~ the
lird section of his "Aphofisms,m describes
the affection ia its simpler FORM Ia the
throniquo des Frcros Mmours may be
found narration of the outbreak of kur-
ust, l@Eli Il prevailed In France again Ia
1911; u WIS epidemic in Italy in li13 Ia
lies The disease WAS manifest throughout
Europe ns II was again IN 1851; in thesc
l@ndcmlcs all elassos of people. the Young
und the old, rich and poor wore alike vic-
tins 10 the nlalady. In most OF Inc olden
outbreaks the affection commenced
WITH a chill, pain in the head
and ieudency 10 siupor, followed
10y dry cough and pain ln the
chest, with difficulty in breathing: the pa
ticuis. when cAnValescing, felt an almost
complete rcstomiiOn about the fourteenth
day. 100 the whole of Europe was attacked
by influenza; the type of the disonse during
tins unthfoak was violent, the cough being
SO severe as toproduce bloody expectoratiou.
Tie cases Vofglng on the pneumonia order
From l'sJ 10 l5ai epidemic catarfh IRA.
versed the globe, commencing ia Ger
many, pnssing 20 England, France.
| switzerland, Italy, Spain, Mexico.
| Peru and throughout North America, os-
pcclally IN New England. In l175 one of
tie most remarkable upidemics of influenza
ever noted occurred in Europe and America,
warren, Of Boston, and Bcniamin Rush, of
Ihiind'lphia' Ncre iho American opIdcmI-
| olugisis of that trlOd. the former, who wns
killed nc Bunker Hill. being the hist nan of
the earlier, the latter Of the outbreak oh
served IN 1850.
In leOl, aud again in lsIn, epidemics Of
chinrfh spread FROM Russia all over cunii-
/ ufftui Europe, ana from thence To Great
Britain and North Amoricn, prevailing. too.
ns lar ~ Java and Singapore and ~ the
United Siatcs ns far south as Burke county,
Georgia. Epidenics oi influenza have been
note q since that time IN 1877. 1860 and lS7O.
| while the present outbreak, Which will pro
babiy bo remembered IN this country az
tbat OF l@n, bids fair Ia outfiya all pre-
Nous manifestations of the disease, If the
| rhpid spfend aud severe typr observed at
| present ma Europe Is to be taken IA AN IN
dcn. The average duration of an epidemic
outbreak Of oltnrrh when locnlizcd il axly
days. Those persons exposed to outdoor
atmospheric influences are most liable ~
attacks, while the mnlndy il most lutal 10
the weak-lunged M adult life of the cun-
muiiliy, Strange M II may appear. the
very young and the very Old have
u srpminR exemption from the affection.
children under the age of eight being rarely
/ attacked, according 10 Warren, while
among the aged the attacks Rrr rare: those
afflicted usually die. Ia 1si7 25O.UOO people
A. London alone were attacked 10y ntnonl,l,
and the mortality was frightful, according
u Ansiic; tue average mortality of childion
hoing raised - per cent, that IT adults a.
| lOi per cent, while Tint Of the aged WAS
rusod tO The startling figure of M Der cent.
influenza is the most rapid in its sprrad
| oi any known AO-callrd zymOtic disease and
its propagation is directly dependent on
atmospheric influences.
Epidemic catarrh, which isprobably bet
/ ter nnme for tho ualndy than influenza,
usually commences by chill, pneczing,
| dryncss Of the nnres. with fever and in
namatipn extending 10 the frontal sinus;
| pains m the limbs, accompanied by gem
eral feeling Of lassitudo and headachus,
followed 10y mn ordinary attack uf bron-
chitis. The treatment will vary, following
the nature aud gravity Of tho symptoms,
and the rational emplricism of the period
VIII ofer us multitude Of new specifics,
ms II usual IN epidemics Of sixty days dura-
| ton.