New-York tribune., 1891-12-30
A SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF RECENT IN'
yFSTIGATIONs.

A SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF RECENT lN'
vFsTGATIONs.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Let me present a summary from the facts 10
Gently ascerancd BY the medical profession respecting
Ia gippc which has again appeared in the city.
No other disease difuses iself equally widely over
the earths surface. Like A,iatic cholera. II sweeps
over u country from east TO west. IL Is lhdepcn'e"'
Of hydrometric thermometric and baometrc changes.
There IS close resemblance between Ia grippe and
dengue fever. Both have, In common. sudden IN
vaslon high temperature, lumbar and muscular pan''
with cephalaga
Males are more frequently affected with the influenza
than females those following out door occupations
than those working within. Children are almost ex-
empt from attack.
The disease Is due 10 living germ. definite micro
organism, which multples under favorable conditions.
The bacillus has not yet been definitely recognized.
Patholoeically. there seems to be nothing abnormal
relating TO the influenza per Sc except be hsion OF
the Spinal cord a. has been seen at some autopses.
4 singular Circumstance Is reported from Australia.
A new pulmonary disease has apreard there, caused
by an aspergilns. Now the spores OF the asperglns
fImlgatus are the OF Ia grippe according 10 tho
latest opinions OF many English physicians so. What
appears Mge Ia grippe, often complicated IT IS true
with pneumonia, develops In Aust ALA pneumons
pure and simple
la grippe is contagious. The Health Boeri Of this
city II is contagious disease IN the ordinary
acceptance OF the term though probably only slightly
So In special report 10 the British Government
Dr. Parsons saws IL Is undoubtedly Infectious. COM
muniCated frOm to the other. but there are many
other less direct In which tho disease may travel.
Dr. Leeeon, another English authority. holds that 10
passes from patients 10 their friend, and neigborS who
In contact with them and he advocates weeks
qua antnr. DR.. Thompson. In his work giving his
torca survey OF the past epdenics In Grrat Britain,
emphatically asserts that influenza IL contagious. but
hc adds. II docs follow that is the only. even
Tie most frequent method OF communication
La grippe appears In three forms-nervous, catarrhal
and gastric Dr. Julius Althous and other authorities
deny however. this commonly accepted view and pro-
nouncc influenza TO be Infection, nervous fever tbs
symptoms OF which only der far the localratOn
OF the rant poison The different centrs OF tbc ner
system Is concerned.
The British Medical Association has asceraIned that
those who have previously suffered from IA grippe do
not possess immunity fOm second seizure, aud in
most cases recovery is proiracted and slow.
IL 10 estimated that 40 per cent Of catarrhal cascs
VI Influenza end In typical pneumonia.
la grippe stands foremost factor i'm nervous dis.
eases. IL may be complicated with or followed BY
disease, generally OF low or depressed type. Of the
simple neuoses. the most common are seeple,suess.
anne'ia more or less general neursthenis hpochon-
dracal and self conscious feeling. neuralgia ard raely
Hts OF Gil cpepc nature. In the more developed ner.
vous disorders there have been examples Of delrous
mania. acute mania. hy pochondriaca other forms 3
melancbola. and the sefcousciou> state has. in
cases, grown into true deiusional insanity.
Patients VINO as the result OF influenza. become IN
sane as rule recover; but there arr two classes In
which there Is real danI-those In which acute delln
Gus mania occurs and those I'm which general paEalyds
La grippe attacks the sane mor readily than the
insane according TO the investigations OF the authorities
GEORGE b. BRADLEY. ND.
York, Dec. 25. 1891