The Portland daily press., 1889-12-18
"IA GRIPPE" is HERE.
A New York Family Sneezing-The
Outlook for the Rest Of US,

NEW YORK, December 1.-THE Board of
Health is much exercised over the appear
ance in this city of the dreaded European in
fiueDza, known as ia grippe" The disease
is still confined to the Klamroth family, sew.
en- 0f whose members are sick. A full re-
port was given TO DR.. Edison at the Health
Department today about the cases. which
shows that the ages of those affected range
from 80 to 4 years. The report adds;
Cause-none apparent No members of family
recently returned from Europe, or thrown in con-
tact wi h recent European arrivals. Received
girl 25 years old. She had recently received
mail from Europe. Other cases follow. d. one
e;ni,na eaca on oS days Character sudden
general feeling of malaise, followed by coryZa
pharyngitis, slight laryngitis,an winding up wi
with ad co d, freely using handkerchief, voice
thick and lasal, considerable angina ana conges-
llon of membranes Of the eyes and nose. Dura-
tion two days and upwards.
DR.. Edison has no doubt but that the dis
ease is contagious, and, if so,transsmision by
letter would not be impossible. He also
says: We've all had colds, which could
easily have been mistaken for the disease If
1t had been prevalent here. Probably many
persons in New York have colds as severe
as the influenza, and which are Just as char
acteristic of the disease as that is of itself.
1t Is an epidemic of colds in the head. The
influenza closely resembles hay fever, but Is
ac1te, and lasts probably nine days. 1t is
hard to say whether it becomes epidemic
through the air, or is transmitted from one
individual to another. but probably the for
mer, because many persons are attacked by
it at once"
There was an epidemic influenza in China
In 1880 that spread TO Russia in January,
1881, and four months later reached Western
Europe. IL prevailed slightly in America in
January, 1882. A more serious epidemic
broke out in Russia in 1886, and soon spread
over Europe. America was not affected
The Medical Record in its current issue
says
An epidemic of considerable extent prevailed in
the United States about years ago, and there
have been various mild manifestations OF the dis
ease since. On the whole, however, North Amer
lea does not seem TO be very favorable TO the de-
forms, and it is unlikely that we shall have Sc
we're visitation, II we have any at all, The DIS
ease is not dangerous, except sometimes to chill
dren Or the aged, while the former often show a
decided exemption. The disease is undoubtedly
due to some micrDorganism which floats in the
air and which infects the human system, but is
generally killed in so ooing. For influenza is but
slightly, If at all, contagious. We observe that
some feeling OF alarm prevails lest this epidemic
be precursor 10 cholera, as was the case In 1881
ana iS47. There have bren, however, plenty of
cholera epidemics without preceding influenza,
ann great many Influenza epidemicS without
any associate cholera The micrO-organisms of
two diseases are as essentially different as are
the diseases themselves The cholera germ lives
In water and soil. the influenza germ in the air.
The relation between he two diseases has been,
we believe, purely accidental.
The following, in the opinion of DR.. Ed
son, is certain cure for influenza should
any one be afflicted with 1t. Get 10 cents
worth of solution of quinine and spread it
on the afflicted membrane freely and fire.
quently. Then for internal use get three
grains of quinine, one half grain Of camphor,
one-Quarter grain of extract of beladonna;
all to be mixed up Into pills or powders
These to be taken three or four times day.