The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-12-30
The Grin EpidenIic .

Victims of the grip generally agre
that it is entirely superduous to eNag
gerate its pains and after conse
quences. 1t is, however, not Difficult
to augment the epidemic by creating
alarms that really predispose tn,
timid and fearful to take the disease
if it be contagious or Infectious The
use of superlatiyes and overstate
ments adds to the increase of any in
fictitious disease by worry, which, as
all physicians and some laymen may
know, is potent for evil iu such cases.
The grip is not a new disease, and
it differs from the ''influeuza' OF long
ago only as our habits of living have
left rs more susceptible and less able
to resist its attacks. There is hardly
malady whose symptoms today are
identical with those attendant on the
disease fifty years ago.
The initial symptoms Of grip, how
ever, do not much differ from those
of the indueuzas of other days. The
glandular phenomena are substan-
italy the same, and the febrile condi-
tion continues marked feature. The
chief difference is in the sequelae
which characterize modern seizures
If there is functional impairment,
grip generally increases it, and per
haps it did that fifty years ago. But
such impairment WAS much less FIRE
uuent in the old time than it is now,
and thus after effects We're much
more limited and simple at that time.
Unfortunately the old influenza is
not much more than a recollection
Physicians did not write the history
Of such cases then TO anything like
the extent common nowadays. The
treatment has changed also, and al
most certainly for the better. The
tendency of the disease to involve
whole families and whole neighbor-
hoods holds as good now as ever This
tendency seems to show that there is
specific contagion, or, in modern
parlance, Il specific germ, probably
borne in the atmosphere. 1t, how
ever, does not matter much how the
disease promulgates itself unless
somebody can devise means to destroy
the conditions.
The best advice relates to cleanli-
noo7 and plain living, to avoidance of
unnecessary exposure, to proper
clothing and quiet mind. When
people reflect that grip is a glandular
disease, and that the internal organs
are a co related system of great
glands, the necessity Of defending
against grip 10y correct habits of liv-
ing must become apparent. The
most correct liver may have grip, but
the secondary effects of the malady
are less formidable to such person
than to one given to excesses.
One of the best defences against
grip lies in wearing extra protection
from the neck down between the
shoulders and in front upon the chest
Besides this, the feet should he
warmly clothed, and overshoes should
always be worn out of doors during
the cold aud damp season. More de-
pends upon the protection of the feet
against sudden chill than seems to be
generally admitted. Overshoes are
not liked by persons who think the
unsullied polish of their footgear is
OF first account. But rubber sole
between the damp pavements and
the leather would in many cases save
health and life.
Right living is plain living, and
everybody knows what plain living
is. With ample food of plain de
scription, and the body we'll defended
against the ever-changing weather
the grip, though it may come TO an,
one, need not be feared as "a morta
malady. And we have to remembe
that grip has had all manner of ap
plications to consequences not due t
it as an initial cause The victims c
so-called grip are many more tina
the real cases of the malady y.-Wilkel
barre Record.