Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-28
TO CURE INFLUENZA.
A Writer in the Medical News Discusses tho
Fashionable AIalndy-InvaIids and
Women Are the Most

Easily Affected.
PHILADELPHIA, December 27.-The
Medical News, of this city, in its issue Of
tomorrow, will publish an exhaustive ar
ticle on influenza, by Professor Roberts
Bartholomew, of Jefferson Medical College.
After giving an historical sketch of the dis
ease, its pathology and morbid anatomy, the
author says:
influenza comes suddenly, and goes as
| quickly. The least robust, at any age, and
women seem to be the first victims. It IS here a
question of bodily condition, not of the sex.
The large number simultaneously attacked at
ssracts tracts general attention, and thus those most
impressionable are seized the onset being IA
eilitated BY any depressing emotion like fear or
illness. There is no rigor properly to be thus
designated, but rather series of the light
ch1llS and feeling of heat Herewith Some
times malaise of general kind is experienced,
Dut, like the attack itself, is short in duration
lasting but few hours With the first access
OF the nasal and facial irritation comes the
chilliness, which is followed by some 1everish-
ness, with more pronounced malaise, and in gen.
eral the headache, weakness and soreness OF
Tre Tne members, especially OF the large joints.
With the progress of the case in some epidem-
les there is considerable general weakness, and
even marked depression of the vital powers:
Ihe pulse becomes small and weak. the mind
gloomy and reStlessness ensues.
Whena fatal termination is to occur, as
rule, an extension downward into the trachea
and bronchi takes place. Although catarrhal
and croupous pneumonia are said to be 'com-
plications" they should be regarded as occa-
sional conditions, and when present are,
properly speaking, constituted parts on the
malady. The chief Importance of croupous
and catarrhal pneumonia is that the develop
ment of these out of an existing catarrh Of the
bronchi is frequently cause of death. The
rapidity with which the disease supervenes-
lts preliminary development beng hours, and
its whole career but matter of three or four
days, is remarkable. Relapses are common,
usually each succeeding seizure being nilder,
but not a few pass by easy transition into
chronic bronchitis, emphysena, asthema, etc.
obviously catarrhal process, extensive and
severe, may contribute immensely to chronic
disease OF the middle ear, e1stachian tube, nose
anu throat, and thus permanently lnJurlng the
parts. The best manner of securing immunity
is by the inhalation of sulphurous acid gas
daily when the approach of the epidemic rem
ders it necessary, and by taking five grains of
salicylate of cinchonidine three times day,
and by so living as to avoid taking cold.
When the attack has begun it seems to me
desirable to give one or two grains of calomel
at night, inhale some sulphurOus acid gas and
have the patient in room where steam con-
tanning eucalyptol can be inhaled in large guam
tty. The installation of resorcin by dusting
over the entire area of affected parts as far as
practicable is also recommended. The internal
remedy most desirable is atrOphine in solution
-one grain to one ounce of water-dose being
from one to five drops, the minimum being for
little children (after first deentitionJ. The
tincture of belladonna may be used-from one
to ten drops twice q day. AS this is both
prompt and prolonged in action it should be
given not more than twice a day, unless the
dose be much smaller than is advised above.
Salicylate of cinchonidine and in quinine.
should be given as prophylactic remedy, If
there be reason to suppose that such power is
really exerted by it. Ny own conviction is that
as prophylactic the combination of cinchonl-
dine with salicylic acid'is preferable to qui-
nine. For the depression and melancholy it is
probable that atrophine will do better. For the
distressing headache. joint pains and wakeful-
ness, antipyrin, ascetanilid, phenacetin and
other germicides and antiseptics will no doubt
be found useful.