New-York tribune., 1891-12-18
THE "GRIPn HERE AGAIN.
IT Is NOT EPIDEMIC, HOWEVER
REPORTS TO THE HEATH BoAEp-TALKs on

REPORTS TO THE HEALTH BoAHD-TALKS ON
THE AFFIICTToN.
aThe reports received BY the Health Department
DO not indicate that there is epidemic of the grip
IN this city at present. said President Wilson OF the
Health Board yesterday. "Our information Is derveo
entirely from the reports of deaths because nnuehta
Is net classed contagious disease and therefore
the physicians DO not report the cases wihch come
To their notice unless the sufferers die II Is true tha
occasional deaths from influenza have been reported
IN the city lately but they have not been numerous
enough to Justify belief that the disease has become
epidemic"
Dr. r. s. Tracy Register OF Vital Statistics to whom
Mr.. Wilson referred Tribune reporter for fuF'''ei
information, said tat although there might be con
siderable number OF persons suffering from mnuehL'
m the city he did not think that there was an epue"o
ef the disease or that there was likely TO DO an
eridcmic this winter He added: History aeiS Us
that epidenSs may return In second year, oa' hoV
In third year. Whenever disease makes "ioesPreso
ravsfes in district it is likely 70 preVal again
I'm tho district in the following year. Iheh IL may
not disappear entirely, but may cause htue scAheSS
here and there in following years without becoming
endemic We have had two epldemicS OF influenza
called the grip IN this city. one resched ns heish'
I'm January, 1S90 and ran snort COURSE AZ was
followed by the epidemic Of last spring. "hch eA-
tended through number OF weeks Lateiy tie
s,.as onnsored in this city again, but have had
rnrorts ~ fsw DEATHS only one or two o week, which
hsye indicated that there has been no increase 10
speak off, - x,o.,,.
DR. Tracy turned to his report upon New-forKs
srst experience of the grip, which said that the
epidemic slogan in December, 1SsV, but oid hot
assume alarming proportions until the last week oi
that month II manifested itself first by the starns
increase of deaths reported, which ran up In one DAY
from 1oa ON December 30 TO 1876 on December 3l.
The endemic reached its height In aoont two Weeks
ana slowly abaed lasting altogether about six weeks
tn the
January to January IL having reached the almost
pnpreccdepted total of 1,424- the largest nun'er
aver recorded in this city in q single weea since
sos. with the exception OF the week ending july
6. 1872, a week of intense and protacted he'"
when there were 1851 DEATHS including IL from
snnstroxe. of which 90 occurred In single day
Turning to the weekly reports o deaths III 1891
DR. Tracy showed that the second epidemic OF IN
huenza became noticeable in the week enoing March
a. when the deaths from all causes jumper 10 olo'
although only one death from influenza alone was
= reported that week The turning point Oh the epl,
'deinic was I'm the week ending April To- III 'haV
week there were 1,347 deaths from all causes ana
l70 deaths from influenza. SO slow was the decrease
OF the epidemic that during the week ending June
13 there were deaths from influenza. although the
seaths from all causes in that week were only 743'
Deaths from influenza continued to be reported each
week until July 20.
after an interval of only three months death
from influenza was reported In the week ehunls
October H. The following tablo shows the oeatnS
"a nom influenza and from AL causes in the Guy
seAch week since the reappearance Of the disease