New-York tribune., 1889-12-22
EUROPE'S EPIDEMIC.
NETWORK UNEASY. BUT DOCTORS NOT
ALARMED
INFLUENZA, WHETHER AS NATIVE PRODUCT
OR AN IMPORTATION, NOT DANGEROUS
MALADY-wHAT PHYSICIANS HAVE
TO SAY ABOUT IT

MALADY-wHAT PHYSICIANS HAVE
TO SAY ABOUT IT.
Asa young man, arriving late at Niblos Theatre
.r Friday night. was in the act Of occupying a
ssat in the parquet. he had the misfortune to
sneeze.
The entire audience gave start
aJnAuenza? ?7 whispered a lean and hungry man
~ the adjoining seat.
The late comer's reply was interrupted by
.nother sneeze
The audience started again. Men laid their
hands on their overcoats and women felt for their
wraps
aRussian sneeze, sir ?" said a fat man. half
land terrible frown making his face look black.
The unfortunate young man shook his head
18th emphasis, dropped out of sight between the
arms of his chair, pinched his nose frantically.
messed his upper lip, tusged at his mustache,
gritted his teeth. bit his tongue, drew in his
breath with jerk and blew it out with jerk :;
mt in active operation every known device for
smothering a sneeze--and succeeded Panic was
averted. He sneezed no more. and the audience
resumed its interrupted interest in the play.
This little incident sufiices to show that the
people OF New-York are trying to make them
selves believe that the grip" ia grippe or
the Russian influenza" is among them
They already know that the malady began In
Siberia, extended TO the large Russian cities, and
finally made it's appearance in Paris and London
II travelled rapidly, hundreds of people being
taken with il at once. In Russia few people are
mid 10 have died of it, but they were very aged
peope who already had both feet in the grave
II was a democratic sort of grip" respecting
none The Gar sneezed in his palace, Emperor
William sneezed on his throne, little King Alfonso
hair fInr
sneezed in their diplomacy accepting these i'm
perial sneezes as edicts. 1t is not recorded that
Queen Victoria sneezed, but nearly all the rest of
London did Actors sneezed in comedy and
tragedy singers sneezed in Soprano Alto tenor and
bass Public speakers sneezed in their flights of
eoquence, lecturers sneezed their audiences awake
Verify it has been a sneezing time abroad.
New-York has few doctors who expect this
endemic TO become pandemic by advancing TO
his side of the Atlantic, but the consensus of
medical opinion leans the other way. While all
admit that the influenza in the family of Albert
Klamroth. in East Forty-sixth-st., has the same
characteristics as " la grippe" many agree that
the malady not imported, but had its origin
right here in New-York being simply coincdent
with the epidemic abroad and not in any way
related to it,
But if la grippe is here, whether as a native
product or an importation. all the doctors unite
in saying TO the public, Don't be alarmed"
There will be only few days and nights of
sneezing watery eyes, weak knees and general
lassitude. La grippe" is not a fatality only
casualty
OPINIONS OF wELLKNOwN DOCTORS.
Not one of large number of physicians seen
By Tribune reporter has had single case under
bis care. 1t has been unusual season for
colds" said DR.. Fordyce Barker and rule
colds have been very protracted, but | cannot
attribute the fact TO the spread of this epidemic
All in1uenzas are or less alike. and while
the disease is annoying, there is nothing in II 10
cause alarm. Wa have had such epidemics in
this country before / remember the Tyler
grip very well, an influenza that set everybody
sneezing when John Tyler was President. do
not remember that anybody died of it..
How did YOU treat cases in those days.
DoctOr?' the reporter inquired.
That would he hard TO sayte Treatment de-
pends on the temperament and condition OF
patient / do not believe in specific treatment
/ see that DR.. Edison prescribes quinlne, camphor
and belladonna. That is an excellent prescrip-
ton"
DR.. Loomis said: mo cases of influenza have
come under my care, but seldom without
epidemic of that sort in New-York Ordinary
influenza is a simple disease and we have more
or less of il every year. 1t is disagreeabe rather
than painful There is no cause for alarm
No. not one" said DR.. Thomas NJ Markoe in
reply TO the inquiry, " Have you had any patients
with the Influenza"
DR.. ID. b. st. John Roosa has had cases Of
that Sort and is of the opinion that the klamroth
family is suffering from ordinary influenza, that
probably had its origin in this CITY, He is not
IL. g. no
prised if one should take New-York. as such
things are very common here; so common that no
notice is taken of them.
DR.. L. Duncan Bulkley said L have noticed
that many of my patients more or less.affected
with colds, but such thing is not unusual at
this season of the year. Nothing like an epidemic
OF influenza has come under my observation.
have given the subject no thought, but do not
see that there is any to feel at all alarmed
Most of the physicians seen are nOn-comnnttal
as TO whether the disease is contagious or not.
DR. A. Jaeobs opinion is that it is contagious and
may be communicated from peoples breaths or
their clothing Others hold that it is transported
in microbes.
prominent practitioner in Thirty-third-st. be-
heyes the disease is practically the same as the
epizootic which swept through this country III
1873. attacking both horses and men. 80 far as
be can determine. there is absolutely nothing new
in the epidemic in Europe it is like any other
influenza, and need frighten nobody.
DR.. George +. Shrady says, in The Medical
Record
The epidemic Of influenza which have already re-
ferfed to as occurring in Russia has spread into Finland
and Eastern Prussia Is not unlikely 10 spread through
out Europe and even reach this country The disease
travels rapidly and has been known all Europe
within six weeks, that may expect arrival
hafopa hn
thought that this epidemic moved in definite cycles Of ono
hundred years. Although such an idea has long
abandoned It is curious fact that influenza prevailed
in America one hundred years ago and Dr. John Warren
letter TO Dr. Lcttsom says that our beloved Presi
dent Washington but recovering from a severe
and dangerous attack OF IT,"
There IS doubt that this new epidemic will prove q
boon bacterioogy for seferts mcroeoccus has not