Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-17
NOT AS cHEsRING AS MIGHT BE.

The report of DR.. j. R. Laine, secre-
tary of the state board of health, for
December, makes melancholy show
ing-one quite unusual for the ordi-
narily healthy state OF California. 1t
will be observed that he ascribes the
increased mortality in the state to la
grippe. We regard his report as of
sufficient interest to quote from it at
some length, as follows;
Reports from 105 towns, villages and
localities, outside of the larger cities,
give s cases of Inflammation of the bow
els, of inflammation of the brain, OF
cholera morbus, IL of cholera infantum,
IS of diarrhea, % OF dysentery, of
smallpox, "a of measles, 81 of scarlatina,
SO OF diphtheria, IA of Group, 1891 of in
flnenza, 30 of whooping cough, 90 of
erysipelas, 81 of typhoid fever, 139 of
malarial fevers, IL of cerebro-spinal
fever, "a of tonsilitis, "a OF inflamma-
tion of the kidneys, 20 of neuralgia, IL
of pleurisy, 244 of pneumonia, AZ of
rheumatism, 293 of bronchitis, 15 of
congestion of the lungs. and 43 OF chick
enpox.
Diseases OF the stomach and bowels
have decreased, and diseases of the
respiratory organs haze largely increased
with corresponding increase in fatali-
ties. La grippe is greatly responsible
for this increase. In addition to the
1871 cases of this disease enumerated by
reporters, it is reported prevalent or
epidemic and associated in greater or
less degree with bronchitis, pneumonia,
and tonsilitis. in lone. Livermore, AL
turas, Tulare, Cloverdale, St. Helena,
Biggs, Anaheim, Monterey, Martinez,
San Mateo, San Rafael, Santa Maria,
Sequel, Santa Ciuz, National City,
Knights Ferry, Azusa, Watsonville,
Gridley, Benicia, Downieville, Modesto
Jackson, Marysville, Half Moon Bay,
Stockton, Petaluma, Solano county,
Healdsburg, Pasadena, Santa Rosa.
Forest Hill, San Diego, Anaheim, Napa,
Elk Grove, Ventura, Sebastopol and
Etna Mills. This is without taking into
account San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose,
where it has, by common report, pre-
vailed quite as generally as it has among
those reported from. This would run
the number up into the thousands, and
would account for the increased death
rate from diseases of the lungs. The
sequels OF the epidemic will appear in
the death rate of several future months
under other names, but they will never
theless follow as result of la grippe. 1t
is quite reasonable to presume that the
height OF intensity of the epidemic has
been reached, and that it will subside
from want of material to work upon. So
large a percentage of the population
having had the disease, makes this
supposition warrantable. But one case
OF smallpox is reported in the
state, and that is in quaran-
tine at the Sacramento pest house.
He came recently from the vicinity
of Tulare to Sacramento.
The large number of cases of la grippe
will be noted. AS against this melan-
choly record it will be observed that
there was only one case of smallpox.
Some poor fellow was unwise enough to
go from Tulare to Sacramento, at which
latter place he caught the disease.
Doubtless, hereafter, citizens of Tulare
county will be little more prudent
when they venture into Sacramento
county, except in senatorial years, when
the attractions of Doodle may be ac-
cepted as fair stand-off to the repul-
sions of smallpox. Both leave mark !;
but the Bruner episode would seem to
show that the stains of legislative cor
ruption are more evanescent than those
of physical contagien.