The morning call., 1894-03-26
THE GRIP.
Its Ravages Exceed That of Asiatic
Cholera.

Popular Science Monthly
1t has long been familiar fact that large
class of dangerous diseases, in their methods
of multiplication and DEVELOPMENT, strongly
suggest some sort of kinship with leayen or
yeas. The name zymotie. which has been
given TO them, is from the Greek word zyme
and means ferment or leaven. When IL was
discovered that leaven owes its peculiar powers
to a minute microscopic plant, The sug-
gestioI was carried still further and gave
rise TO what is known as the germ theory OF
disease. or course only zymotic diseases are
embraced In such theory. Ore Of the most
cbaracterist ic Of these diseases Is the we'll
known epid emic (pandemic) malady, la grippe.
ms appropriate FIR ench little is acquired from
The rapidlty and firmness with which il Is able
10 seize or giip its victims. No less suggestive
Is me German name of ''blitZ catarrh," or the
ana epidemic catarIh." The Italians of the
seventeenth century, believing It due 10 the evil
influence of malignant stars, gave IL the less
appropriate title of "intiueuZa."
II is quite natural 10 conclude that because
disease is contagious it is therefore due TO
microbes. SO far, however the proof is lack.
Ing OF the truth OF such an inference. II is a
singular fact that most of the diseases, the con-
taglous character OF which Is unQuestion able
yet lack convincing proof of their bacterial
origin While some OF those not before suspected
ot being contagious have been demonstrated as
0ue 10 THIS cause. In la grippe no new
mlcrooe can be found that is invariably
Such germs as DO appear in the spuIum
or organs are well-kDown forms, predominant
among Which are the diploeOceus pneumonia of
Eraenkel and Weichselbaum and streptococcus
pyogenes. Professor Ribbett thinks that the
streptoeoccus, by gaining added viru euce
through some changed condition OF the aImos.
sphere. Is The most hNey cause. and be feels
quite confident that IL at least induces compli-
cations. The presence of diplococcus in so
large number of cases may account for the
frequent attacks Of pneumonia that follow this
disease.
1t has been estimated that the last epidemic
OF la grippe Killed far more people on lis dir eet
TACK than the worst epidemic we have eV er
had OF the dreaded Asiatic cholera. Tho Sc
manned tor life by its attack. or brought at a
later date 10 untimely graves by its indirect
consequ noes, would materially swell its ma
1ority. By taking w0fkingmen from their en-
plOyment II tOOA millions of dollars of their
wages from them, and by checking production
10 an equal extent lowered the wealth of
the nalloD. Few diseases have so high
total death rate owing to the
large number of its Victims. Reckoned by per-
centage. 1t being but 2 per eeuT, /, makes
poor showing as compared with cholera and its
DO per cent, but In actual figures IL is alarm
than others. In Iceland the death rate when
compared with numbers attacked, ran higher
than 10 any other country. This disease not
only raises the death rate when present in a
region, but it keeps 1t up for months afterward
and leaves the community 1t has visited ia an
unusually depressed condition OF bealIh. 1t
attack- age and every condition of life
and seems 10 have a particular parLlality for
the debilitated ana weak.