The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-01-22
Ia GRIPPE CONSIDERED.
What the Doctors Have to Say OF This
Singular Malady.
Especial Correspondence.l


ing very well, but by no means counting
myself i'll. Before the afternoon had passed
however, was suffering severely with a
cold in the head, a pain in the chest and an
| aching of the bones which reminded me OF
my experience with break bone fever in
New Orleans several years before In the
Office was told by my friends that l had
the new epidemic which had played sad
havoc in Europe and had just made it's APP
pearance on this side of the ocean. | went
home and sent for my doctor. When he
came said
doctor, have the grip"
Indeed" replied he, with a smile near
ly akin to sneer, $50 has my grandfather's
great grandmot,er."
He evidently did not believe in the grip,
and said that only had IA bad cold and an
influenza. 1t may be that that was all,
| but it was the most inconvenient and trou-
| blesome bad cold in my experience. But |
pulled through in few days. During the
| following year, lucky man that | was, |
! did not need to see my doctor at all. In
| January, however, of 1891, | was attacked
! precisely as | had been the year before
| Again | sent for my doctor and again in
formed him that had the grip. This time
he did not sneer and talk to me about any of
his grandmothers, but put me through
course of treatment and acknowledged
that it was the prevailing epidemic that
had seized upon me. | mention this ex-
perience, because in the first year of the
appearance of la grippe great many con-
sentative medical men were skeptical about
the prevailing disease being in any wise
different from the ordinary colds which
abound every winter. But all of them
have been Obliged to abandon such ideas
and to acknowledge that la grippe is pre-
cisely what the European doctors said it
was when it appeared in Russia in Novem-
Der of 1899, and rapidly spread over Europe
and America also.
La grippe is by no means a new disease,
but it appears at intervals so long that the
great majority of those who live during
one of its periods do not survive till another
arrives. 1t is of record that this disease
attacked the Athenian army during the
Peloponnesian war. 400 years before the
Christian era. And from then till this
time every now and again it has appeared.
In 1917 the disease originated in Asia,
spread over Europe and came also to the
Spanish colonies in America. In 647 there
was another epidemic of it in Europe, and
this time it came to the British colonies in
vious to now was just after the death of
President William Henry Harrison in 1841
and the accession to Office of the vice presi-
dent, John Tyler. Then it was called the
"Tyler grip" out of compliment to the
president, whose course was worrying his 4
party associates as much as the disease
troubled the people at large. Then it ap-
peared again in December, 1889, came back
last winter and reappeared this present
season. 1t will be gratifying to know that
the previous epidemics usually ran their
course in three years and disappeared, |
though it has lasted as long as five years.
So many persons have had the disease |
that it would be a waste of space to de- |
scribe the symptoms of the malady. Prob |
ably there Is not a family in the United |
States some member OF which has not
been victim Therefore, in every house
hold la grippe is known when it appears.
AS to it's cause there has been much specu-
lation. The predisposing causes of the
disease are unsanitary, filthy conditions,
coupled with peculiar atmospheric states
The exciting cause, without doubt is
germ or bacillus. This germ infects the
human system and gives rise to the
symptoms that characterize the disease
DIR. Cyrus Edison, the chief inspector of the
health department of New York city, has
made IA special study of the epidemic, and
through his official work has had ex-
good opportunities to observe
it, He has become the accepted authority
and has written book, LA Grippe and It's
Treatment" which says about all that is
to be said on the subject. In speaking of
the attack of the germs on the system DR..
Edison has said: "In effectng this, however,
it either evolves something that is deadly
to its own growth, or it is killed by some
influence brought to bear upon
it by the human organism. Indeed, it is
by one or the other of these means that
nature in behalf of mankind copes with all
disease germs. Her field everywhere is one
Of constant warfare"
Medical men have disputed holly as to
whether or not la grippe is contagious.
But all agree as to its infectious character.
The germs by which it is caused probably
have the power of living and multiplying in
The air, water or soil outside of the human
body. The body is then infected with them
through the medium of the infected mat
,er. The time that elapses between the re-
,eption of the germs in the system and
The development of the disease is from
eighteen to twenty four hours.
DIR. Edison recommends the following
general directions to be followed as tend
ny to reduce the danger Of contracting the
disease to a minimum, and he thinks they
ire specially important to persons conva-
escing from other ailments and to old per-
ons and young children:
Warm wooden clothing should be worn j
lext to the skin. plain, nourishing diet 1
hould be taken.
meals should be eaten with regularity. {
late hours and crowded places should be :
wooded. Keep indoors as much as pos T
ible When in the open air keep in mo- I
ion. Avoid wetting the feet. On entering :
house remove wraps at once. Keep away !;
rom persons afflicted with the disease.
ain a word, avoid exposure and excess; |,
dept regular habits and live well. On the
rst symptoms of the disease send for a I
MUSICIAN" JNo. GILMER SPEED.
The French and German Armies. a