The Washington times., 1918-10-06
By DIR. Gordon Henry Hirshberg, A. NJ, M. d.


THE first really serious epidemic of
disease produced by the great war
is that called 'the Spanish infu-
enza," which has caused deplorabIe NOR
tality in New York and New England.
At the outset it should be said that the
term Spanish influenza" is clearly an
error, and that the name should be Ger
man influenza" for Investigation proves
that the disease originated in the German
trenches. 1t has since made tour of the
entire civilized world, In the course OF
which it broke out with especial severity
in Spain, owing to certain local conditions.
The French, noting its ravages in Spain,
and not having suffered very badly them
selves, gave it the title Spanish influ-
onza."
That this should be the only epidemic
disease produced by the world war is a
remarkable proof of the protection afforded
to us. by modern medicine and hygiene.
After nearly all other great wars. as a re-
suit of the misery, starvation and enfeeble.
ment of the population, there have been
great outbreaks of pestilence, which have
depopulated cities and even countries.
The disease generally known as the
bubonic plague" is the great plague which
caused the great ravages OF past war
spochs. It's cost in human lives has not
been less than two billions. In addition, out
breaks of smallpox, cholera, typhus and
yellow fever have followed debilitating
wars.
Fortunately our enormous progress in
medicine and our material resources for
combating disease give assurance that no
plague epidemic Of such magnitude as
those Of the past can occur In America at
the present time.
How widespread has been the outbreak
of Spanish influenza is shown by the fact
that our Assistant Secretary of the Navy,
Franklin ID. Roosevelt, suffered from IL.
while, at about the time he was recovering
the youngest son OF the King Of Sweden
died of it.
The first known advent Of the influenza
in this country occurred when the Nor
wegian ship Bergensfiord arrived at New
York on August IL with twenty-five cases,
three of whom died, but there were prob
ably other sources Of infection, apart from
the report that the German U-boats sur
reptitiously disseminated the infection In
this country. Independent sources Of in
fection, apparently, reached Boston and
New England, where the disease ragged
most alarmingly, causing seventy deaths
in one day and 5000 cases at the Camp
Devens military camp.
And now just what happens to the suf-
terer from Spanish influenza? From obseT-
vations of one thousand soldiers il was
found that from one TO three days after
contact or approach to others who had the
disease feverish state began. This fever
rose steadily until on the second or third
day afterwards, it was as high as occurs
in pneumonia. In many cases Il went as
high at 1O4 deg Fahr. Indeed, it is ap-
parent that one OF the most common as
well as the most dangerous complications
is that Of pneumonia
The disease starts with a chill or chIls
that may shake the whole room you're in
Severe headaches, with pains in the legs.
in the groin, in the neck, In the spine and
in the small Of the back are generally
present.
Then that tired feeling" named by doc
tors general malaise,' takes charge OF the
sufferers anatomy. The victim feels
wretched all over Fever blisters. those
frequent accOmpaniments Of pneumonia. OF
meningitis and of tertiaa malaria, break
out" on the sufferers lips.
The face becomes flushed, a thermom-
ster stuck under the tongue registers lO2
to 104 degrees, and the victim as well as
his doctors knows he's in for 1t badly.
Spanish influenza cures or kills" in
Liberty motor speed. Within four days the
worst is usually over. About the second
day the abrupt crisis takes place. On the
fourth day the patient is either as well as
he ever was, or pneumonia or another COM
plication asserts its dangerous presence.
A harsh cough is frequently encountered