Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-05
HAVE WELA GRIPPE?
VIEWS or A NUMBER or EMINENT
RICHMOND PHYSICIANS.
piscus.,cn a. To whcthcr tho Innuensa
Now Prevailing Here II Of the
European Type.

NOW 1E9Ndttbk tsNfo =" - -"
European Typo.
Thousands Of people here are suffering
with influenza, or bad colds. As general
thing the victim il not confined TO his
room. Only now and then severe case
occurs. but the aggregate of discomfort is
enormous.
The common saying is Il have Ia
grippe"
There is no special harm in giving a
vague foreign name TO an ancient domestic
production. unless 20 do so is misleading.
The simple question. therefore, is whether
the rnalady prevalent in Richmond Is OF a
type with that which across the waters has
attacked crowncd-heads and newspaper
men. lords and laborers. princesses and
washor-women. On this point some OF our
most eminent physicians have allowed the
Dispatch to question them and their replies
given below form timely and valuable
compendium of information on the SUB
ject.
NOT HERE YFT.
The imported disease which is reported
70 be an unusual acute Inflammation
of tho air-passages has not yet VI
sited Richmond. said DR.. W. I. Open
hi,ner. president Of the Board Of Health;
lie added: We may be entirely ignored
bv this foreign plague, but there IS a
domestic element in the atmosphere
sufficient 10 cause inconvenience and INT
rio suffering with quite number OF our
neonle. II is mild influenza which
often follows warm and moderately
moist fall. This Is due, perhaps, TO
ripe and partially decayed spores OF the
vegetable kingdom. These microscope
cal needles are bearded like arrows and
can be carried by the dry winds TO great
distances. These minute bodies lodge IN
the noses and throats OF people, causing 40
FIRST an ordinary coma, which soon runs
into bronchitis. and not infrequontly e1-
tends 10 the lungs. causing pneumonia:
The spore which produces ia grippe "
must contain an irritaut such as our poison
oak. Or, perhaps. the iodine In decaying
eea-weed with other d<bris might be po-
tent factor ia the affection. The cause. IS
vet unknown, and we are glad TO say the dls-
ease is still stranger TO our midst; 1
could easily imagine very benign colu Oi
short duration. turned into malignant
pest. IL il is as difficult 10 sneeze as IL Is 10
speak tho Russian language.
CHIEFLY BAD COLDS
Dr. Hugh VI. Taylor. secretary OF the
State Medical Examining Board ana =
practitioner of his profession, sad l
think la grippe prevails here; but 10 nm
tied extont. / do not think We have re-
ceiyed the full force Of the epidemic.
Within the past week | have seen SIX or
eight patients who presented all or the
phenomena described as being peculiar 70
ia grippe. have seen a good many VINO
supposed thew wore suffering from that
disease. but who had only bad colds.
am inclined TO think that the Inc he;
tween the imported disease la grippe ana
the domestic bad cold can be clearly drawn'
AMID EPIDEMIC.
DR.. NJ. l.. James. who, in addition TO
private practice ~ physician 70 the
slmsiouse. said: For more than a
week past have seen daily a. con-
siderable number Of cases OF IN
fluenza The features Of these cases 90
not differ materially from those nave
been accustomed TO observe in the cpl
denies | have seen formerly. Every few
wears we have had such epidemics OF vary
ing degrees of severity. Some of the cases
az the present opidemlc which have fallen
under my treatment have been serious
opough to excite considerable fever and
make the sufferers very uncomfortable,
confining them in bed for few days. Most
Of the cases have. however, been mia, ana
altogether tho epidemic has been milder
than some of those l have formerly seen.
II IT IS THE SAME IT Is MILD.
DIR. Hunter McGuire. who was found IN
the midst of his hospital work at st. Luke
Home. replied in answer TO the inquiries
OF tho reporter II the epidemic OF III
huenza now in the city is truly la grippe
il is much milder aud more trlHtng ms
ease than that described IN the foreign anu
New York papers. 1t IS no worse than l
have often seen prevail IN Richmond be-
fore. Epidemics, however. frequently start
in a mild manner, gradually increase III
intensity. and slowly die away. ms pos
ably may be the case with the epidemic
now here.
DOESN'T BELIEVE IN TT.
Il do not believe that we have la grippe
amongst Us" said DR.. Thomas j. Moore.
Tile present catarrhal epidemic is nothing
more than simple influenza. Ia type,
RvmptOms, aud severity of attack IT an
fers materially from the disease described
as prevailing in Europe and the northern
section Of this country, Simple influenza
is of frequent occurrence III nearly all
parts of the United States. Let Us be con-
tent with what we have and not he amhl-
tious to encounter the more formidable
malady.
CONFINED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY TO ADULT
MALES.
DR.. G. W. r. Brock. az surgeon OF the
police and in hospital and private prac-
fice, has great opportunities for observa-
ton. and h. saws: do not know that we
have IN our city 1.-THE genuine imported =
" 10 grippe" but that we have an unusual
number of cases of cold " all physicians
will bear testimony 10.
The cases that [ have seen have been
marked by general soreness Of the mus
cles. fever. and headache, and with few
exceptions there was almost an entire alb
senco of catarrhal symptoms. The dis
ease seems almost exclusively confined TO
adult males. Females and children are
thus far almost exempt. 1t usually lasts
about fOrty-elght hours, at the end OF
which time the patient is generally able to
resume his accustomed avOcation.
TWO CASES IN oNE DAY.
DIR. Landon b. Edwards ! am afraid TO
say that Richmond will be exempt from
the epidemic. Up till to-day nothing IN
the way Of serious epidemic sickness has
occurred 90 indicate the presence OF the
disease; but this afternoon | have seen
two cases that developed to-day that are
severe attacks of influenza. Authorities
say that persons who lead an Indoor life
and do not expose themselves at night are
not SO liable to the disease. Thus far. tho
influenza has manifested itself mostly IN
aeerayating preeXisting catarrhal trou-
bloa.
MANY cAsEs.
DIR. Christopher Thompkins ! have no
doubt a. to Ia grippe" having taken
hold upon our people There are plenty of
cases here. | have a number among my
patients.
INFLUENZA PREVALENT.
We have had good deal of influenza
prevalent in town." said DR.. J. n. Upshur,
"but do not think 1t has been more Sc
we're or intractablc than the same affection
in previous winters. Certainly II Is not
like the description OF la grippe as SAID
20 prevail in our more northern cities"
HERE IN MILD PORN.
DR.. Lewis G. Bosher: | don't think hat
there il any doubt but that ia grippe "
in a mild form prevails IN our city. Some
few cases that / have seen. from tie sud
denneSs OF the onset, severity Of the
symptoms, and the general prostration fol-
lowing. are undoubted typical cases Of in
fueDza.
Progress of the Disease at Various Places.
INCREASING AT RALEIGH.
Especial telegram 10 the Dispatch.l