The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-02-07

INFLUENZA ON WAX SHIPS.
How the Epidemic struck Fleets and yis-
urd Distant Islands.
The popularity 81 influenza. says an
English writer. Is that sea Or an ocean
puts no limits TO its progress. ships
sail into influenza as they sail into the
dolirums; in passing through certain
region Of the high seas they take on
board something which starts an epi-
domic Of influenza among the crew. and
II they be not far from port they will
not improbably find the epidemic pre-
vailing on shore when they arrive. The
feet under Kempenfcldt left Spithcad
on the "a Of May. iss2, and kept cruising
out Of sight Of land between the Lizard
and Cape Ushant.
About the end Of May influenza broke
out on board all or most OF the ships
and SO seriously disabled the crews that
the Admiral was Obliged TO return TO
port in the second week in June. An
other incident in the naval annals
brings out a further curious side OF this
many-sidcd epidemic influence. The
frigatc Rose arrived at Portsmouth from
Newfoundland on November 4. l7ss. at
time when influenza was prevalent In
the port AT once all the dogs on board
tho frigate were taken with cough and
catarrh. and in short time the whole
ships company sickencd with it.
Another example. similar 70 the last,
was furnished by Lord Howe's feet,
which sailed from England for the
Dutch coast on Tie 9th Of May in the
same year. Toward the end Of May the
disorder appeared among the crew Of the
Rippon, and two days later among the
crew Of the Princess Amelia. The crews
Of other ships in the feet were affected
at different times. some not until their
return to Portsmouth in the second
week in June. This feet like that Of
\ Admiral Kcmpcnfcldt. had no communi-
\ Portsmouth until il reached the Downs,
( on its return. about the Sd or sth Of
June. An equally remarkable instance
\ Of an opposite kind was observed during
the epidemic Of 1887, when the malady
is first mentioned as having been prev
alent in Lisbon, and among the mer-
chant shipping in Portuguese and Span
ish ports during the month Of January
Early in February IL appeared in the
Russell, an English man-of-war. then at
anchor in the Tagus, and the first man
1t attacked had been exposed the greater
part Of the day in boat and on shore.
The disease rapidly spread and affect
ed eighty-four OF the crew. In the same
year the Campus. with $50 men. after
three years Of service on the Meditcrra
mean station, left Malta January l. and
after having stopped twenty-four hours
at Gibraltar and part OF . day al BARGE
Iona, reached Plymouth Sound February
l. The weather was cold and wet and
influenza was prevalent on shore. yet the
Grew continued in perfect health until
the 18th. when the epidemic struck
down two-thirds OF the men in one day
In March the disease reached such :
height at Barcelona that business was
almost suspended.
Another curious phenomenon is in the
epidemic catarrh which breaks ou
among the inhabitants Of such remote
islands as st. Kilda and Iceland whe1
strangers touch at the former or the frs
spring ships arrive at the latter.
The St Kilda influenza used to b
thought to he mere fable, although
DIR. johnson believed in il against thu
scientific opinion Of his day A writel
in recent number OF the Pail Mall Ga
sette says:
During a seven years residence II
Norfolk Island. the well-known settle
ment Of the descendants Of the bounty
mutineers. had opportunities Of yeri
flying the popular local tradition tha
the arrival OF vessel was almost invari
ably accompanied By an epidemic Of in
flucnza among the inhabitants Of ths
island. In spite Of the apparent remote
ness Of cause and effect the connection
had 50 strongly impressed itself on the
minds Of the Norfolk islanders that the,
were in the habit OF distinguishing thu
successive outbreaks by the name Of ths
vessel during whose visit II had &C
Cured. But the phenomenon is not con
fined TO Norfolk Island.-N. y. World
I've p0pE.S iN0iISTRv