The Indianapolis journal., 1890-01-20
RUSSIAN GRIP ANDITS CURE
An Expert and Authoritative Medical
Opinion on the Present Epidemic.
Symptoms of the Disease and the Proper Treat
ment to Be Pursued While II Runs Its
Course and During Convalescence.


and so perilous In its secondary consequences,
is of uncertain origin 1t comes, it goes. 1t
comes without warning; 1t disappears. leav-
ing behind il sporadic eases. but speedily
loses all trace of its epidemic form. In the
majority of Instances the fever is moderate.
and lasts about three or four days. The
fever is at its height in from twenty-four to
thirty-six hours; then it slowly subsidies,
and the temperature may go below normal.
In one case, 1t passed to 96o, and there was
profuse sweating, something like crisis
taking place. During the period of highest
temperature, lasting tfirty-six and possibly
forty EIGHT hours there is only the ordi-
nary variation of about one degree between
the morning and evening temperatures.
There is really a slight continued fever. and
not fever with remissions and exacerba-
tions as Vim malarial fever. AS rule,
the temperature does not exceed 1899; but,
by way of variety. have in this epidemic
encountered few cases in which the tenn
perature at the outset unexpectedly shot
up to 1852 and the next day went down to
about 1909. and then the case ran the or
dlnary course, terminating In recovery. In
two of these cases bloody sputum of pure
blood was at first eXpectOrated.
Another popularity bout the disease is
the occurrence of catarrhal symptoms In
the eyes and nose, with cough, which is
frequently laryngeal rather than bronchial
These catarrhal symptoms are, however,
often absent. Some of the worst cases that
/ have seen have had no catarrhal symp-
toms whatever in the eyes. throat. or any,
where else. When the catarrhal symptoms
are present they are more apt to involve
the eyes, nose. throat and larynx than the
bronchial tubes although a fair proportion
OF cases have catarrhal bronchial rales, and
some have even congestion of the lungs, as
Illustrated by the cases before you. In a
few instances epistaXis comes on and with
the occurrence of high fever and debility
| you are irresstibly made to think OF be-
| ginning of typhoid
One of the most singular features of the
| present epidemic is the prevalence of the
| nervous symptoms. AS L have stated, /
| have passed through other epidemics of
| catarrhal fever, but this seems to be
stamped by the prominence of the nervous
| symptoms. These are shown by the viO-
lent headache. the severe pain all over the
| body, the pain in the spine. travelling down
| ward. and also by what l have seen in
| quite a number OF cases, hyperesthesla or
| general sensitiveness of the surface. This
| is something more than what might be at
| tributed to the efforts of coughing. Then,
| too. in some of the cases, there is delirium,
| not simply the delirium of inanitiOn, as Oc-
| Cured in one of the cases before you, but
delirlum with violent headache. this de-
i
| In one case, that of most refined lady,
| who when well would hardly recognize an
oath, when she became deliriOus from an
| attack of influenza, swOre at her doctor
| every time he entered the room. i have
| been told Of instances in which patients
| have lost their minds from the violence of
the headache and the delrium. Besides
| the delirium there are III some cases con-
| vulsiOns.
| About week ago / was called by DR..
| ROsenthal to see a young man who, while
| in perfect health, was seized with violent
| headache, severe pain IN the back, pain in
the limbs, slight catarrhal symptoms, con-
| siderable congestion OF the lungs, but no
pneumonia. Almost from the onset he had
| spasms in the arms. The spasms were most
marked In the left arm, although Che right
| was also affected. He was very restless
and slightly delirious. but not markedly
| so. His temperature. almost from the be-
| ginning, was 91o. / found him with pupils
somewhat dilated and head slightly rigid,
| and the presence of cerebrO-spinal fever at
| once suggested itself: but further nvestiga-
| tlOn showed that this was not the case.
| There was no eruptiOn: the spasms were
| limited to the arms; there was congestion
OF the lungs; and, above ALL there was no
fever, the temperature remaining abOut 97o.
| The only thing that. gave any relief from
the spasms was cillOral. Notwithstanding
the fact that atrOpine and opium were
used hypOdermlcally this patient gradually
sank under the violence of the disease.
|
the lower extremeties has followed intlu-
enZa. 1t is slowly yielding and the patient
will recover. This case had marked his.
tory OF preceding attack of influenza. /
| know of several others in which convul-
siOns have occurred. The kind of cases
have just mentioned have probably gwen
rise to the idea with some that cerebrO-
spinal fever and influenza are the same dis
ease. The prOstrating influence of the NAL
ady on the nervous system is also shown by
the fact that patients often stagger on get
ting out of bed. A prominent lawyer W HON
j recently attended. thinking that, as he
was compelled to remain in the house, it
would be good time to get up his work.
sent for his papers. but few minutes at
tempt cured him of this idea and he was
glad to lie down. This debility remains
for long time. and is often associated with
considerable sweating. The pains often re-
main. and do not necessarily pass away on
the subsistence of the rather short fever. In
some cases profuse and persistent sweating
Is also very common during convalescence,
and the patient looks anemic and misera-
ble. have seen the knee jerk absent at
the height Of the malady. but in the major
ity it is preserved. Cramps in both calves
and shoulders. as well as in the chest mus
cles, have been reported TO me by physi-
clan as happening after the febrile stage
had passed.
The main complication of ordinary ca.
tarrhal fever Is. as you know, pneumonia
or what is called pneumonia Looking
Il
different cities 1t will be found that the
deaths from pneumonia have nearly
doubled. What is called pneumonia must
therefore be set down as one of the chiei
complications. You notice that say "what
is called pneumonia" A great many o.
| these cases are simply heavily cOngesteC
| lungs, with great debility. the lungs seem
ing to collapse. There does not seem to bt
| a true process of pneumonia exudatioa.
Let me call attention to another pecul
| iarity that l have noticed in a large mum
| Der of instances. A great many person.
when seized. and often during the height
of the attack, complain of violent pain il
the left side, but 1 have not found any fric
| tion sounds save in one instance and thi
| may have been accidental There is want
of expansion of the lower part of the lung
usually on the left side. associated Will
this violent and persistent pain, which
makes the patient think that he ha!
| pneumonia or some other grave condition
of the lung. We know nothing of the
cause OF this disease. 1t is epidemic and
| think myself that 1t ia feebiy contagio
1t would be an admirable thing if some o.
our Oyerfilled treasury could flow into tn,
| channels of science and that commission
be appointed TO investigate this diseas,
bacteriologically and chemically. w,
accept the microbic nature of its origin
but it has not been proven.
The prognosis is favorable but the gen
eral mortality is increased by the epidemic
This is because persons previously diseased
are carried oil. For instance in these tive
cases with feeble heart, if any unusual ex
erton were made the patients would prob
ably die. IL an elderly person, with fatty