Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-31
INFLUENZA IN LONDON.
Forms Of the Disqualification
Lightning Catarrh-Pulmonary Kind.

From the New York Herald
During the last week the mortality in Lon
don was directly attributable to influenza.
1t rose to 80. as compared with the figures
43, 81 and "a In the preceding weeks, ac-
cording to the Daily Express.
Influenza assumes principally a gastric
form. There are indeed several forms of in
f1uenza The first is a typical infectious form
without OSCILLATIONS. 1t is revealed by a
very high temperature. by infectious "acci-
dents" of variable gravity, but without any
organ being specially affected This form
is generally sudden in it's appearance hence
its German name 'blitz- katarrh," or light
ming catarrh When this first form causes
death 1t does so by means of kind of blood
poisoning.
The second is of a pulmonary kind. In this
form the illness starts like bronchitis or an
ordinary cold. either as a coryza, which
next afectS the throat, and then successive
ly the bronchi, or by bronchitis In the first
Instance. This form is particularly serious
In the case of persons who, believing them
selves to be suffering from mere cold or
slight attack of bronchitis, go out and con-
tinue their ordinary avocations. 1t is princi-
pally under these conditions that bronchitis
Is transformed into broncho- pneumonia or
evolves in the direction of infectious pneu-
monia. When one remains quietly at home
one has every chance in the world Of es-
Gaping from pneumonia complication.
The third form is gastric, form which
sometimes has the appearance of gastric
fever, and sometimes even of typhoid fever.
to such an extent that in diagnosis it is
often difficult to dffferentiate it from the
latter illness In this gastric form there is
diarrhoea, sometimes vomiting, a disten sion
of the abdomen and an extremely dirty
tongue. This form principally affects per-
sons who have previously had digestion
troubles
Influenza attacks. as it were the weak
point of the system, and it is a question
whether the gastric form, which is so wide
spread in London at present. has not some
relation to Christmas festivities and a great
consumption of plum pudding, mince pies
anG other seasonable if somewhat heavy
daintes.
Lastly, there is form which includes two
sub-variations one characterized by phe-
nomena of depression; the other, on the con-
trary having as its notable feature state
of excitement which borders on deirum
There Is definite treatment for inf1u-
enza. In general 1t Is necessary for the
treatment to take into account the particu-
lar form of the malady. 1t is certain that
quinine. which succeeds in a vast majority
of cases, would not do any good in the gas
trio form by reason of the susceptibility of
the stomach Antipyrine and pyramidon
are also much used. In general way pyra-
midon is preferable to antipyrine, the latter
being too depressing in it's action. The best
thing to do in those forms in which the
fever rises a great deal Is to take once or
twice a day thirty cent.grammes of pyra-
midon, then ten minutes after fifty cent?
grammeS of carbohydrate of quinine. This
association of medicines in addition to the
fact that it greatly diminishes severe head
ache and the sensation of an aching lassi-
tude in the limbs which is felt when one
has Influenza. causes abundant perspira-
tons, which facilitate an elimination Of
poisons and diminish the duration of the
Illness.