Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-04
La GRIPPE NOT HERE.
Expert Authority for the Absence of the
Disease From PItfsburg = Explanations
Medical md Whimsical.

Expert Authority Tor the Absence OF the
Disease From PItfsburg Explanations
Medical and Whimsical.
Influenza is a contagious disease, SO the
doctors say and, as they know the most about
it. ladies had better give up the idiotic practice
of kissing for time. 1t evidently isn't epidem-
| ic in Pittsburg yet but it may be ere long. Ex-
tended inquiry last night developed the fact
that there was vast amount of nasal
catarrh and many cases Of severe colds,
| but very few that had the symptoms
| of the real bone-cracking influenza, such as
racked people nearly so years ago, when the
| river men christened it bone-break fever.
Meantime it has become fashionable to take
| Quinine tor colds, and many people are taking
larger doses than usual under the impression
that they have influenza, and many, not know
ing how to treat themselves. aggravate the dis
temper, instead Of alleviating their trouble,
Drs. Gable and English were discussing the
matter last evening in Kerr's drugstore when
they incidentally remarked on the infrequency
of the disease of late years, which had given the
younger class Of physicians but little practical
experience in the treatment of tho malady,
though theoretically they know all about it
and its treatment DR.. Cable remarked that it
prevailed largely in this country IS or 48
years ago and was popularly called 'TylePs
grip" his putting the Wings through such
being likened to those of the victims of the
disease which river men called breakbone
fever. 1t was supposed by many tJ have origi-
nally come from Africa. That African malady
was of the savage order, victims losing their
hair and whiskers. The disease that in the
early 'forties ragged was by some called "den-
gue."
The term is corruption of the word dandy,
the name given to the fever in the West Indies.
from the stiff and constrained action it i'm
posed on the limbs, and mistaken by the Span
iards for their word dengue (prudery), which is
next door to the sense in which the term dandy
is used. 1t was also called contagious catarrh,
and the evidence of its being contagious was
that like cholera, it followed the lines of travel
Dr. Gable stated that 1t put people to bed,
and the real article will, if it comes here. put
stop to business just as the epizOotic of 1872 did
Its subsequent effect 40-odd years ago was bad,
many people who came through the influenza
dying later OF congestion of tho lungs. DR..
English remarked that so far no cases that he
had heard called influenza were considered
contagious. The prescription clerk In Kerr's
drugstore stated that their prescription trade
was at present fully 80 per cent larger
of most of them. Mr.. Shirmer. at Simon
Johnston's drugstore. said he had filed two
prescriptions last night for people who thought
they had the symptoms, but most people who
were buying Quinine had nothing more than
cold. At j. L. McKenna's the clerk reported
sale OF much quinine, but he had heard Of no
rence's store, large sales of quinine were re-
ported. but no cases of real influenza.
Mr.. Faller, at Joseph Fleming & Sons stated
that he hadn't heard of any influenza. At Ran
kins the same report was made, though a
prescription was filed for one person who
seemed to have symptoms very nearly related
to the genuine article. At Byers' and at
but no cases Of influenza. The general i'm
preston among doctors seen was that when the
real disease arrived there would be no dis
cussion as to its identity.
DR.. Shaw, of Penn avenue. said in reference
to the reported prevalence of influenza in this
city: There are some genuine cases Of infu-
enza IN the city. I have a number of patients
who have shown very markedly the symptoms
of the painful disease Miss Montooth. the
sister Of Major Montooth, has had a very
severe attack Of Ia grippe There is consid-
cradle diversity Of opinion among the medical
fraternity as to the nature of this epidemic
which has now begun to rage in Pittsburg.
My diagnosis of the disease is influenza, and
treat it as such. 1t can be said however that
the disease is not so prevalent in Pittsburg as
1t is in other cities, yet the possibilities that
it will rapidly develop, and become general
epidemic. For good many years no influenza !
has been known in America, in the human |
family, and the result is that the doctors |
do not as quickly recognize it as if |
they were practicing among it every |
day. This fact makes the physician a |
little careful in saying that the disease is the
dread ia grippe;" preferring to- call it
severe cold, accompanied by high fever. The |
cases that Ihave attended correspond with de- |
scriptions given by our learned Commentators
on influenza. The victim is first attacked by |
sudden chill, followed by catarrhal symptoms,
severe pains in the small of the back, violent |
sneezing and choking of the mucus men,
brane which interferes with the healthy work
ing of the air passages. An cpl
demic is not q frequent occurrences;
it comes periodically; separated by many
years: We have evidences That it is as old as
the hills. In every age there is a record that
the race has been attacked with it. There are
different names by which the disease is known;
now, for instance, influenza is known in France
as La Grippe" or Italian fever; in Russia as
Chinese catarrh; in Germany and Italy, Russian
fever; in Belgium, as Spanish catarrh; what
ever you call it, or whatever name it went
by in olden times, the symptoms are the
less pain by changing the name to
that of feyerish cold, which a majority of
people suffer from every winter. In our
medical literature it is said that if a patient
shows certain symptoms, and the temperature
is l04 or above, then the disease is influenza.
have such cases as the medical works describe.
am safe in asserting that there is
IN Pittsburg to-day what Is generally known as
influenza
ia grippe is not merely confined to the hu-
man race, it is as severe on the brute creation
as it is on man. About ten years ago Pitts
burg had an epidemic Of influenza among the
horses. 1t was about this season of the year
when the horses were attacked So great was
it that trade was impeded for several
days. The way the horses were suffering was
exactly similar to the symptoms which are
manifest and prevalent among the community
now. The attack among the horses was of
short duration, but 1t was painful, sharp, fierce,
and accompanied BY great suffering as long as
It lasted" DR.. McCann, another prominent
DhVSiCiQn Penn a T. |
really opposite view of the matter to
his near neighbor He said: II do not
believe there is case of influenza
in Pittsburg; indeed would venture to assert
that there has not been genuine case In the
United States. Quite lumber of people have
come into our office, suffering great pain, and
averrinG that they had the influenza. If people
believe they have got la grippe, we don't try
to dissuade them from their opinion. 1t would
be useless. We listen to the description of
their ailment and then proceed to give them a
prescription according to our diagnosis of the
case. The general character of the case, sup |
posed to be Ia grippe, which in reality is moth.
ng more than high feVerish cold is this: A
nigh temperature, not over 100 or l0l, which
s under the standard for influenza, backache
Ind frontal headache. These are some of the
symptoms of influenza, but the real thing is
more aggravated and violent than any case
have seen. If influenza existed In the city
svery doctor would be PROSTATE with the dis
Ease, because it is infectious. don't think |
lOcLOT COulQ prevent QlulB6n LTOIu CdICnl0B CQ0
disease once 1t got into the city. You may
tate from me that influenza does not exist as
ar as my knowledge goes" A number of
,ther physicians were interviewed. The preVa-
ent opinion was that influenza did not exist in
he city.
DR.. McCready, in talking about Ia grippe yes
erday, said: ia grippe had considerable
lold on the Twelfth ward for some time past.
Quite a number of people came into my office
very day almost doubled up, which is the first
ymptom of influenza. Not long ago most Of
men were attacked with the
isease, and they were obliged to quit work on
ccount of it. The disease is very remarkable
ne. 1t attacks certain localities, while another
istrict possibly not far from where la grippe is
aging Is entirely free from the disease. Car.
egie, Phipps 4 Co., however, has been at
acked more than any other place where a
arge body of men are working. Among the pri- =
ate families of the ward influenza has sub !
ided within the past few days. Where had
rom 20 to 80 cases day three weeks ago, |
ave no more than three to four cases Of indu-
MA now. s
Yesterday Superintendent Baker, Of the {
luraou oF Health nrenarad HE rarort ~ tho |