The morning call., 1891-04-23
THE NEW FORM OF GRIPPE.

Now that the State Medical Society Is
once more in session at Sacramento the pub
lie will be glad to hear something from it on
a topic of lore immediate Importance than
the percentage allowed physicians by drug
gists on the prescriptions they fill. 1t is
within the knowledge of all practicing ply
sicians that the epidemic known as la
grippe, which first introduced itself to pub
lie notice as form of influenza, or inttam-
nation of the mucous membrane OF the
respiratory organs has within few months
changed its character, both here and at Chi
cage, and, while retaining the essential
features of the original malady, has trans
ferred its seat of operations to other por-
lions of the body. There are at present in
this city number of cases of undoubted
grippe. in which there is no trouble with the
respiratory system, no cough, no sneezlng,
no "eold in the head" no running at the
nose, but which develop most painful and
annoying symptoms in other organs.
Study leads to the conclusion that the
malady is of atmospheric origin and cpl
demic in character. Any one may take 1t.
But once contracted, the disease may. 1t
seems, 20 to any organ which happens at
the time to be enfeebled. 1t has in some
recent cases established its seat in the liver
and stomach, these organs happening to
have been the seat of former disease, which
left them impaired in vigor and vitality. In
th ese cases the symptoms are those OF ca
tarrh of the stomach and torpor of the
liver, with the usual unpleasant and pain
full features. The breathing apparatus was
not involved. nor were there any indica-
tons of a spread of the malady to the
lungs. But in such cases, unless the
healthy action of the liver can be restored,
the consequences may be quite as serious as
if the patient was threatened with pneu-
monia. This is not the place to talk Of
treatment; that belongs to the attending
physician; but it may be said that in cases
Of this kind the regulation medicines that
have been generally prescribed for la grippe
will accomplish nothing, and that cure
can only be effected by drugs which act on
the organs visibly attacked.
The Medical Society could not do more
sensible thing than to devote an afternoon
to the discussion of this subject. If the re-
ports of physicians are correct as to the
change of character lately assumed by la
grippe, then a new disease has been diseov-
cred. In the books influenza and grippe
are used as convertible terms. But the NAL
ady from which many San Franciscans are
now suffering, ana winch IS diagnosed Us
grippe by the doctors, has no resemblance
to influenza.
a new disease, which has not been de-
scribed aud classified, ought to be a gOdsend
for medical convention. By comparison
of notes members can profit by each others
experience, and from comparison of cases
a general formula may be educed. 1t is
hardly the business of newspapers to make
suggestion 10 learned faculty, but mere
hint may perhaps not be out of place, and
that is to inquire whether Ia grippe may not
turn out to be a disease of the nervous sys-
TEN, produced by atmospheric influence,
and acting on any portion of that system
which happens to be an inviting field for
disease. Two persons lately fell i'll at the
same time. Physicians pronounced both
cases to be grippe. In one the symptoms
were inaction of the liver with local pain
ana intestinal disturbance. In the other
severe neuralgia set in at the base OF the
brain and along the spine, nothing else.
The doctors were nevertheless confident that
both were cases of true grippe. If so, ard
the disease was not disease of the nerves,
what WAS ftp