The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1913-06-11
INFLUENZA IS NOT
HARMLESS DISEASE
Real Old Grip May Have Many
dangerous Complications
Says Georgia State Board
of Health.

world in 1SS9-90, many were inclined
to look upon it as harmless kind oil
fashionable disease, a viewpoint that
was speedily changed in those oca-
lities where hospitals became charnei
houses, though this reputation chung
to it more or less strenuously for
some years. %
But its dangerous qualities have
long since become well known as d
result of the numerous and serious
complications which may attend it,;
in fact, there is scarcely any organ OF
the body which is immune from the
effects of it. And although it now APP
pears in milder form in the sporadic
or epidemic cases than in. the pande
mic invasion which went around the
world, it is particularly severe and
dangerous, says the Georgia State
Board of Health, for old persons, ana
for persons who are debilitated or
weak, persons given to alcoholic H.
quors, those who are too fat and
those suffering from heart and lung
troubles tE
Influenza is an acute infectious disc
ase caused by what is known as the
bacillus of Pfeiffer, after the name
of its discoverer III 1899. 1t may be
communicated either by association
with persons affected or through in
halations in sections where ii Is, or
has been prevalent. 1t has beaa known
to be contracted at sea whore there
was no existing case lending color
to the belief that the germ travels
through the air. 1t occurs either in
isolated cases, in epidemics or pan
denies. M
Travels Around the World
During the last century there We're
four, periods during which practically
every country in the world suffered
from the unusual prevalence of this
disease. The last pandemic occurred
in 1S89-91. 1t started in Russia and
soon spread to Germany and Eng
land. Later it appeared in New York
and rapidly spread over North Ameri-
ca. Soon practically the entire civil
lied world was affected Since that
time influenza has. been constantly
present in the United States, but in
milder form .
influenza is one, of the medical
goats and not infrequently the in.
ciplcnt stages of tuberculosis, malaria,
liberated endocarditis and typhoid fe.
yer are mistaken for it.
Grip may develop very suddenly
as rule in one to seven days. The
germs, gaining entrance to the res.
plratory tract, multiply very rapidly.
All ages are susceptible to the disc
ase, though infants under one year
old are seldom attacked. The great
est prevalence of the disease is dur
ing the winter and spring a deficiency
OF sunlight seems favorable to the
growth of the germs. One attack does
not confer immunity but seems TO
predlspose to others, though subse-
quent attacks are not usually az se-
we're. The danger lies not so much in
me disease itself as in the compiled.
,lons winch IT may induce. Frequent
~ IL preol5poseS one to an attack Of
tuberculosis: it may set in action
tubercular garms which have been ".
Ing dormant A frequent accountant.
ment Of influenza is infiuenza-pneu.
monia, differing from ordinary pnen.
monla III that 1t rarely terminates in
crlsls, usually dragging on for
weeks. Other complications are cor.
gestion of the kidneys and other or.
@ans, diseases of the heart and blood
vessels, diseases OF the ear and af.
fections Of the nervous system.
Symptoms of Influenza.
Grip may come on verv suddenly.
noticed first in chilly sensations fol.
lowed by fever which may reach
los degrees, loss of appetite. head
ache, pain In the limbs and then o
sense of utter Indebtedness Lassi-
tude, Q cough, insomnia and flush
ing of parts of the face as in scarIa-
tina, may accompany if The natient
feels and seems desperately i'll. BEon.
chitis frequently develops accomJan-
led by pains in the chest, and may
be followed by pneumonia. The pa
tient becomes profoundly depressed,
the heart action may be feeble, the
SKIN relaxed and ciammy, bot and
dry, Pneumonia and heart failure
are the most frequent causes Of
death following an attack Of influenza.
Meningitis, q particularly danger.
Gus complication, may also be caused
by the influenza bacillus, Nervous
forms OF the disease arc quite com
mon, varying all the way from simple
restlessness to paralysis aud insan-
ity. OF $4,000 cases ahalyzed by Lee,
1000 were of nervous type.
Influenza being highly contagious,
it is of great importance that persons
suffering from It should be isolated,
and all precautions taken to prevent
its spread. The patient should have
separate dishes which should be
washed in boiling water each time
they are used All linen and body
clothing used by the patient should
be thoroughly boiled or soaked in a
five per cent solution Of carbolic
acid before being sent to the laundry
AS to treatment the most important
thing to empasize is that the patient
should be treated by a competent
physician. Even in the milder cases
the patient should go to bed, as rest
is the best possible treatment for
the disease There is no specific
remedy for influenza. Many drugs
have been used often with good ef-
feet: At other times with varying de-
grees Of success, but these Should
always be administered under the
direction Of a careful physician.
Warm baths are considered helpful
and as q general rude seyeae caution
Is gfgenS against the use Of alcoholic
samuIants.E Iii the case OF complied
ffOuS arising from influenza. such