The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-06
Where the Grippe Originated.

The origin Of the grippe, which. is
now causing so many deaths in the
United States, is traced by a cores
pondent of the London Times, upon
what appears to be probable grounds,
to the insanitary conditions, coupled
with famine, produced by foods
throughout an immense extent of
thickly Inhabited country in Eastern
Asia about two years ago. The great
I flood in the province Of Honan, China,
caused, it will be remembered, by the
bursting of the banks of the Hoang Ho
or Yellow river, spread over an area of
about 100000 acres and caused loss
of life from drowning estimated at
from one to seven millions. In Octo-
ber, 1888, the new embanknent, con-
structed at an enormous cost, was
swept away by a summer flood, inun- :
dating second time a vast extent of
low-lying fertile land. Later on the
same year there were terrible foods in
Manchuria impoyerishing hundreds of
thousands and producing, as reported
at the time, much illness and fever.
The effects of the Hoang Ho flood were
especially disastrous. During the sum-
mer Of 1889 there was great distress in
the towns and villages elevated above
the plains and spared by the foods,
but deprived of their means of living,
the fertile land having been covered
by the yellow mud brought down by
the swollen river. The great level area
was dried up by the intense summer
heat of this region, but was no longer
capable of supporting large popula-
ton. The result was that the survi-
vors were compelled to live upon roots,
grasses and anything that could be
picked up until relief was provided.
While famishing they were exposed to
the countless millions Of organic spores
developed in the marshy water of the
flooded area, which must have been
thick with the manure and refuse of a
dense population. at would not have
been surprising," says the correspond
ent of the Times, ''if some malarious
disease had been strongly developed in
these unusual conditions, and the Pc
culiar character of the rich earth from
which the Yellow River derives its
name would be likely to give rise to
infective organism differing from those
common to marshy districts in tropica
and temperate climates. There ap-
pears to be reason for the supposing
that the present epidemic of influenza
had its source in the dried up surface
of the sodden soil of the province of
Honan." The data now at hand suf-
flee to make out China or Siberia as
the breeding ground of the disease, cut
future inquiry may justify the more
exact location here suggested. The
westward course Of the grippe has been
already to some extent traced. AS
early as October Is it was at Tomsk,
1000 miles east ofSt. Petersburg. BY
November Is nearly the whole of Eu-
ropean Russia was afflicted. In De-
cember it was in the chief cities of
Western Europe, having been carried,
it appears, in letters, parcels and arti-
cles of merchandise. Being intensely
infectious it has spread with great
rapidity by reason, it is thought, of
the improved facilities for travel and
transportation of goods at the present
day. A comparison Of the dates OF
former epidemics and Chinese floods
indicates the casual relation above sug-
gested. The epidemic of influenza in
Europe in 1928 was preceded by great
floods in China, which occurred in
1901, and that of 1S54-5 was preceded
by the floods of 1878. Whether the
epidemics Of 1903, 1885 and 1917 were
similarly associated with Chinese in
un0ations remains to be ascertained by
study of the Chinese food record. The
nature of the grippe points, is held, to
"a nlalarious origin among ill-fed peo-
ple." Be this as it may, it did not, it
is believed, originate in Europe or
| North America.