The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-15
THE GRIP EPIDEMIC.
Rarases of the Disease in New
York, Pittsburg and Chicago.
An Unprecedented Death Rate OF
Thirty-fve Per Thousand.

The weather recently has been damp and
and variable, and the grip has thriven and
expanded to an alarming extent in New
York City, Fittsburg, Penn, and Chicago,
III. The large number Of death,
within a comparatively recent period
has excited apprehension that the disease
has assumed an epidemic form. The symp
toms of grip arc familiar. A feeling, as il
the head we're a solid block, sneezing AMI
pain in all the bones afflict the sufferer. This
wear an Innovation in the shape Of sort
throat adds to the distress Of the patient
Humidity is at the bottom Of it all the doc
tors say.
In New York City, Dr. Cyrus Edison. o,
the Board of Health, said the mortality fol
the past week was $40, or about 200 in excess
of the average. There were l36 deaths from
pneumonia, an increase of thirty-seven over
the deaths from the same cause during
the previous week: He has beer
informed by medical men that largs
number of their patients are suffering from
the grip, and the indications are that the
disease is increasing. DR.. Anthony Rup
paner is sufferer from the malady, but hs
thinks the season is too far advanced to
Justify fears of an epidemic Of the
malady. He prescribes as proven.
tive, regular bathing, plenty of e1-
ercise, q careful diet, a cool head and dry
A>:t. In the Police Department it was re-
20. ted that the grip had invaded th'
ranks Of the police, l!6 Of whom
were enrolled on the sick list. A
nromineu. physician places the aggre
gate number of victims now suffering from
fhe grip in New York City at not less than
two thousand He alone has nearly forty
patients down with the disease, includ
ing two entire families. Four death!
at the Bureau Of Vital Statistics,
while the increased number Of pull
monary fatalities is undoubtedly at
tributed to grip and its complications,
There is hardly department in the city
that is not seriously crippled by reason Of
sickness among its employees. and notably Il
this the case in banking institutions and
large stores where the employees are exposed
to atmospheric changes without proper pre-
cautions against them
In Pittsburg, says Dispatch physicians
and hospitals are busy as they never have
been before. 1t is because Of the prevalence
OF tie grip. There were over 700 deaths in
Pittsourg and Allegheny during the month.
Thirty-eight deaths were reported at the
local Health Department during recent
twenty-four hours. Ths grip, influenza,
pneumonia and typhoid fever are the
chief causes. In the two ciLieS there
we've tifty-one funerals last Sunday.
There are twepty-seven hearses in the two
places, and in some instances covered wagon
were used, because no hearses could be Sc
cured. There are about 2l5 carriages in ths
two cities available for funeral purposes. Thes,
were all in USE and more than 100 moro were
called for 1t Is estimated that more than
1000 people are suffering with the grip in
Pennsylvania towns along the Fort Wayne
road. At Bellevue and West Bellevue zoe
cases are reported, some OF which are
of a very serious nature At Ellsworth
and Haysville there are 100 cases. There
are also many cases in SewicGley, and it is
estimated that fully 800 people are confined
to their homes. At Leetsdale, Quaker Val
ley and Clinton nearly every person seems to
be affected.
In Chicago the grip epidemic is unabatei,
and the mortality continues appalling. UP to
for two weeks aggregated 1540, or thirty.
five per 1000 which is unprecedented
in the history of Chicago. Nearly all
died from climatic complaints. Drug
stores have been compelled to
increase their force of clerks, undertakers
are crowded with work and many funerals
are taking place as early as A. NJ. and as
late as twilight. The hospitals Of the Alex
ian Brothers, the German Brothers, the Au.
gustana Hospital, St. Joseph's Hos.
pital and the Presbyterian Hospital,
which usually take only accidents OF
doors to the victims of the grip and are
crowded Eight physicians Of the German
Hospital were taken down, and seventy-twc
nurses Of the Illinois Training School for
Nurses, who have been ministering to the
sick, have succumbed. At tho Women's and
Children's Hospital out Of staff of forty
physicians, nurses and attendants, all but
five are unfit for duty.