Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-28
lNFLUENZA'S GRIM GRIP.
1t Has Got the Whole Country by the
Nose.

Everywhere except in Washington the influ-
enza is spreading The number of persons in
New York and Brooklyn suffering from infiu-
enza is very large and increasing While no
instances of death due directly to influenza
have been reported, the number of deaths from
pneumonia has increased so remarkably as to
indicate some connection between the epidemic
of so-called influenza and pneumonia For the
past nine weeks the number of deaths from
pneumonia have been, respectively, as follows
81, II, n, 70, ~, &c, 7, 81 and 95 The last
figures are for the week ending December q.
The figures for the week ending to-day will
probably be over 100. There is hardly bust
ness house or an Office down town whose force
of clerks has not been shortened more or less
by ia grippe" Quite number of policemen
and tiremen are laid up. The same state OF
affairs exists in Brooklyn and Jersey City,
One-tenth Of the people i'll Boston are af-
fected by it. The symptoms are more like those
of dengue fever than like those of the common
influenza. Affections of the lungs are also
more numerous than usual, but physicians do
not consider the situation alarming
DIR. 10. Summers, physician and surgeon of
Chicago, who has passed through two epidemics
OF the disease III Russia, reports that since last
Monday he has had fifteen cases for treatment.
He predicts that the disease will prevail in all
sections OF the city. Judge Longenecker among
others has the embarrassing disease.
Nearly every town ill the country, from Bos-
ton to Denver, reports quite number of cases.
Senator John }. Ingalls,, who is at his home
in Atchison spending the holiday vaca ton was
seized with cold Thursday night. developing
mild symptoms of Russian influenza. The at
tack Is not serious however, although it COM
PEELED 1lr. Ingalls, to cancel an engagement to
address a teachers association.
A later dispatch from Atchison saws: The
Con fnr'a atta Of ina,
virulent form later in the day and he was COM
PEELED by his physicians to take to his bed No
serious results are anticipated, but Mr. Ingalls,
will remain i'll the hands of the physicians until
he has fully recovered.
HOW TO CURE IT.
The Philadelphia Medical Ne,os publishes to-
day an exhaustive article on I'm fiuenza-la
grippe" by Prof. Roberts Bartholow, of Jefrer-
son medical college. After giving historical
sketch OF the disease, its pathology and morbid
anatomy the author says: The best manner OF
securing immunity is by the inhalation of sui
phurous acid gas daily when the approach of
the epidemic renders it necessary, and by taking
five grains OF saiicyctate of cinchonidine three
times day, and by SO living as to avoid taking
cold. When the attack has begun 1T seems to
me desirable TO give one or two grains of Gallo
mel at night. inhalc some sulphurous acid gas
and have the patient sit in a room where steam
obtaining eucalyptol can be inhaled i'll large
quantity. The Installation of resorcin by dust
ing over the entire area of aft ected parts as far
as practical is also recommended.
The internal remedy most desirable is afro
phine in solution-one grain to one ounce of
water-the dose being from one to five drops,
the minimum being for little children after the
first dentiton. The tincture of belladonna
may be used from one TO ten drops twice a day.
As this medicine is both prompt and prolonged
i'll action it should be gwen not more than
twice Il day unless the dose be much smaller
than is advised above. Salcylate OF cinchoni-
dine and qunine should be given as a prophy-
Tactic remedy. The combination of cinchoni-
dine with salcylic acid is preferable to quinine.
For the depression and melancholy it is prob
able that atrophine will do better. For the
distressing headache, joint pains and wakeful-
ness entipyrin, acetanlld. phenacetin and
other germicides and anticipates will, no doubt
be found useful"