Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-10-18

II appearance one Is struck nv tbe
act that the patient looks sick. His
eyes and the inner side Of his evelids
may oe slightly 'bloodshot,' or con
sestea' as the doctors say. There
may be running from the nose q,
''aere may be some cough. These signs
VI coid may not be marked: never.
tneiess the patient looks and feels very
sick. AeeiS very
In addition to the appearance and
the symptoms as already described
eSam.natio of the patients blood mo -
ana the physician in recognizing .Snan
ISL influenza, for it Es.s been fonr d
that in this disease the number Of
white corpuscles shows little or no in
crease above the normal 1t is possi-
BILE that the laboratory investigations
now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygienic Laboratory will fur
nlsh more certain way in which indi-
vidual cases Of this disease can be
recognized"
What is the course of the disease?
Do people die Of it?
"Ordinarily, the fever lasts from
three to four days and the patient re-
covers But while the proportion of
deaths. in the present epidemic has
generally been low, in some places the
outbreak has been severe and deaths
nave been numerous When death oc-
ours it is usually the result of a COM
plication."
What causes the disease and how is
It spread?
"Bacteriologists who have studied in
huenza epidemics in the past have
found in many of the cases a very
small rod-shaped germ called, after its
dlscOverer, Pfeiffer's bacillus In other
cases OF apparently the same kind of
disease there were found pneumococci,
the germs of lobar pneumonia. Still
others have been caused by strepto-
cocci, and BY others germs with long
names.
mo matter what particular kind of
germ causes the epidemic, it is now
believed that influenza is always
spread from person to person, the
germs being carried with the air along
with the very small droplets of mucus,
expelled by coughing or sneezing,
forceful talking, and the like by one
who already has the germs of the dis
ease. They. may also be carried about
| in the air in the form of dust coming
from dried mucus, from coughing and
| sneez1ng, or from careless people who
| spit on the floor and on the sidewalk.
AS in most other catching diseases, a
| person who has only mild attack of
the disease himself may give a very
severe attack to Others"
What should be done by those who
catch the disease7
''1t is very important that every per-
son who becomes sick with influenza
should go home at once and 20 to bed,
! This will help keep away dangerous
complications and will, at the same
time, keep the patient from scattering
the disease far and wide. It is highly
desirable that no one be allowed to
sleep in the same room with the pa
tient. In fact, no one but the nurse
should be allowed in the room.
IF there is cough and sputum OF
running of the eyes and nose, care
should be taken that all such dis
charges are collected on bits of gauze
or rag or paper napkins and burned
If the patient complains of fever and
headache, he should be given water to
drink, cold compress to the forehead
and light sponge. Only such medi
cine should be given as is prescribed
by the doctor. 1t is foolish to ask the
druggist to prescribe and may be dan
gerous to take the so-called safe, sure
and harmless remedies advertised by
patent medicine manufacturers.
"If the patient is so situated that he
can be attended only by some one who
must also look after others in the fam
lily, it is advisable that such attendan,
wear wrapper, apron or gown over
the ordinary house clothes while in the
sick room and slip this off when leav
ing to look after the Others
Nurses and attendants Will do wei
to guard against breathing in danger
Gus disease germs by wearing a simple
fold of gauZe or mask while near the
patient"
Will person who has had int7uenzs
before catch the disease again?
ut is we'll known that an attack O.
measles or scarlet fever or smallpo,
usually protects a person against an
other attack of the same disease. This
appears not to be true of Spanish in
f1uenza.' According to newspaper re
ports the King of Spain suffered al
attack of influenza during the epi
iemic thirty years ago, and was agail
stricken during the recent outbreak II
SPAIN"
How can one guard against influ
enza?
, "In guarding against disease of al
kinds it is important that the body b.
: kept strong and able to fight off dis
| ease germs. This can be done by hav
ing proper proportion of work, pla,
and rest, by keeping the body vel