The Jasper weekly courier., 1918-10-18


eyes and the inner side of his eyelids
may be slightly 'bloodshot,' or con
gested,' as the doctors say. There
may be running from the nose, or
there may be some cough. These signs
of a cold may not be marked; never
theless the patient looks and feels very
eick.
In addition to the appearance end
the symptoms as already described,
examination of the patients blood may
aid the physician in recognizing Span
ish influenza for 1t has.rbeen found
that In this .disease the number Of
white corpuscles shOwF little or no in
crease above the northai. ~ is posi-
Bile that the laboratory Vstigations
now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygienic Laboratory will fur
nish q more certain way In which indi-
vidual cases of this disease can be
recognized Il
What Is the course Of the disease?
DO people die Of it7
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
have been numerous. When death ee
ours 1t is usually the result of a COM
plication."
What causes the disease and how Is
il spread? fj
"Bacteriologists who have studied In
fluenza epidemics in the past have
found In many of the cases a very
Small rod-shaped germ called, after It's
discoverer, 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. 1t 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 taking. 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 mucps, from coughing and
sneezing, or from careless people who
spit on the floor and on the sidewalk.
AS In most other catching diseases,
person who has only mild attack Of
the disease himself may give very
severe attack TO others"
What should be done by those who
catch the disease2
1T Is very imPortnnt that every per-
son who becomes sick with influenza
| should 20 home at once and go TO bed.
| This will help keep away dangerous
| complications and Will, at the same
| time, keep the patient from scattering
J the disc Sc far and wide. 1t Is highly
| desirable that no one be allowed to
sleep In the samer room, with the pa
tient In facts no one but the nurse
should be allowed in the room.
running nj of the eyesAST nose, care
should be taken that all such dis
charges are collected on bits OF gauze
or rag or paper napkins and burned.
II the patient complains OF fever and
headache, he should be given water to
drink, a cold compress to the forehead
and light sponge. Only such medi-
cine should be giten as is prescribed
by the doctor. VT is foolish 10 ask he
druggist 10 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, 1t Is advisable that such attendant
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 well
to guard against breathing I'm danger
Gus disease germs by wearing q simple
fold OF gauze or mask while near the
patient"
win a person who has had Influenza
before catch the disease agaln7
ut Is well known that an attack Of
measles or scarlet fever or smallpox
usually protects a person against an
other attack Of the same disease. This
appears not to be true of Spanish in
fuenza.' Accdt1lng 10 newspaper re-
ports the King of Spain suffered an
attack OF influenza during the Ell
demIe thirty years ago. and was again
stricken during the recent outbreak In
Spain" -
How can one guard against lnflu-
enza7
"In guardInis sgaipst'dsase OF all
kinds, IL Is important that the body be
kept strong and able 10. pghqo OF dis
ease germs. This can be done by hav-
Ing proper proportion Of work, play
and rest, by keeping the body we'll
clothed. and by estIng sufficient whole
some and properly seleetsd food. In
connection with diet. II Is we'll 10 re-
member that milk Is one OF the best
all-around foods obtainable for adults