The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-19

The following article on the Ameri-
can Grip epidemic Is from the pen OF
DIR. Carl Seller, of 203 Jefferson ave-
nue., who is known the world over as a
leader Of his profession:
HISTORY
The first intmation which we had of
general invasion of the disease In ep-
demic form In this country was IN 1889
| and 1890, and again in 1892. To this
| epidemic the New York newspapers
rashly gave the name of Grip" prob
ably they had In mind the fact that an
| epidemic of Influenza. also called Grip.
| had been prevalent in Europe; and
| also, perhaps, because the disease took
so sudden and tenacious hold upon
| the patients that the name Grip
seemed appropriate.
AS early, however, as 1886 observed
a peculiar condition, not at that time
| epidemic, but quite prevalent, In Phil
| adelphia; and independently DR.. Glas-
gov. of st. Louis. made a similar OBJ
| servation in that city. and, strange to
say, we both independently hit upon
name for this condition, which seemed
as good as any other and called 1t ut"
We called it such because the symp-
toms presented by the patient did not
correspond with any of the known or
described diseases, nor could any of tho
| symptoms be singled out to give 1t a
| descriptive name. In the early spring
| of 1883 ! published an account of the
disease in one of the Philadelphia daily
papers, retaining the name of 1T" full
ly nine months before the epidemic
outbreak in New York, and later nu-
merous articles In medical journals. l
also devoted an entire chapter TO the
consideration of this malady in the
fourth edition of my book on Dis
eases Of the Throat and Nose" 1889.
/ SYMPTOMS.
The difference between this Ameri-
can grip, for o such II must ne known
although it is not an appropriate
name, giving rise to O msapprehen-
sion of it's nature. which is peculiar,
and European influenza or In grippe
should be fully realized, inasmuch as
It's main features are essentially diff
ferent. In typical cases, the disease
is ushered in suddenly with a greater
or less chilly feeling, Scutc neuralgia
pains in one part Of the body or an
other usually in the back and Extend
ing, in severe cases, over the whole
body Together with the pain. a feel
ing of tredness, both mental and ply
sical, becomes more and more devel-
oped. amount in some cases 70 abso-
; lutte prostration. There is loss Of APP
petite, fitful sleep. scant and light
g colorcd urine. pain III the eyes with
. dlmness OF vision, and not infrequent-
; " mild delirium. Upon examination
the tongue is found to be moist and
1 ~ l,s
teeth on its edges; the mucuous men,
b. brane in the nose end throat Is pale
Q and puffy. as though the lower tissue
I was filed with water or some thick
; iluid; the eyes have a listless express
sion, frequently watering, and the
skin IS moist and in some cases erup-
tions such as eczema, hives. etc,
arc mot with: the pulse Is at first
. slow, but gradually becomes accel-
: ,eiated and weak, while the tempera-
=. ture, as shown by the thermometer, is
high, often reaching l0i degrees. and
is usually observed 10 be highest III
noon and at midnigh.. There Is no
= thirst, but often profuse perspiration
and the hearts action becomes en-
| feebled. which fceblencss increases
together with the general depression
Il In European influenza or la grippe
and in the ordinary often epidemic OF
winter colds, we have q distinct chill
to begin with, Inflammation of the mu.
cous membranes, fever characterized
by increase OF temperature, accellera-
tion of the pulse, dryness of the skin
and thirst, together with the fullnesI
!. Of the nose and soreness Of the throat
loss of voice, etc, so that one of the
most distinctive features of tho
e American grip Is the absence of fevel
y In its true sense of the word, fol
s elevation of temperature alone does
c not indicate the condition known as
: fever, for it requires the accompani
,, ment of the other symptoms, namely
= dryncss of skin. thirst. coating of tht
>, tongue and a scant but highly coloret
% urine The disease IL not treated
:. properly, or early in it's onset is very
= apt to invade the tissues OF the BODY
It and the oo2!ng out into the It's
II sues below the mucous membranes al
y oyer the body, consisting Of 4 semi
IS gelatinous substance, causing swellin.
: of the membranes and the closure %
y, any tubes they may line Thus /
# may, and often does. produce a sor
. of pneumonia by filing mp the small
4. tubes of the lungs, or n bronchitis
l. | DN VlInltllSHliS lHt DIb1rHlti tUDcS, q
may often close the throat or larynX
preventing respiration and necessitat
q Ing an operation To save the patient
ie life. or as post-mortems have shown
81 this geantinous iluid may be forcet
j. into the lungs themselves and thu
:" produce Il close resemblance In all III
- symptoms to pneumonia, IN man
s. cases pseudo are forme
ri upon the mucuous membranes and ar
lc visible in the throat ana nose, resem
4. bling in this one respect diphthera
at The heart itself in It's muscular It's
ot sue becomes in consequence weake
d. and weaker, so that heart failure
80 q very common cause Of death In tn
~ American grip. Patients who have re
ns covered under the usually adopte
ln treatment are cnfeebed to remark
ii. becomes so weak that they are no
e' able 20 withstand any obnoXiou
~ influences, whether they be due (
atmospheric influence, colo. draught
etc. og due 10 ind!srrc,iou in ~,
a. or physical and mcnra, cHortio1, an
Il nro liable 80 various attacks of whf
,.' Is commonly supposed to be Il relaps
~ % the original malaly from whic
,t they recover but slowly. or which ~
I'm. recover are condemre1 80 invalidla,
.o for a "cr.' long period, Il not fol u
H. rest ~ their liyes,
re- CAUSE.