The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-10-25
UNCLE SANS
ADVICE ON FLU
u. S. Public Health Service Issues Of
fetal Bulletin on Influenza: Latest
Word on the Subject.

washington, ~. C.,-tSpecldl.l- al
though King Alfonco of Spain wa
one of the victims of the Infuenz;
epidemic in 1898 and again this sum
mer, Spanish authorities repudiate an!
claim to influenza as spanish" dis
ease. If the people of this country dc
rot take care the epidemic will become
so widespread throughout the United
States that soon we shall hear the dis.
ease called american" influenza.
In response to request for defnits
information concerning Spanish infu-
enza, Surgeon General Rupert Blue OF
the U. S. Public Health Service, has
authorized the following official in
terview:
What is Spanish Influenza? Is it
simething new? Does it come from
Spain?
THE disease now occurring in this
country and called Spanish influenza
resembles a very contagious kind Of
cold, accompanied by fever, pains in
the head, eyes, ears, back or other
partso f the body and feeling of Sc
YER sickness. In most of the cases the
symptoms disappear after three or
four days, the patient then rapidly re-
covering. Some of the patients, how
ever, develop pneumonia, or infamma-
ton of the ear, or meningitis, and ma
ny of these complicated cases die,
Whether this so-called Spanish influ-
enza is identical with the epidemics
of influenza of earlier years is not yet
known.
"Epidemics of influenza have visit
ed this country since 1647 1t is inter-
esting to know that the first epidemic
was brought here from Valencia,
Spain. Since that time there have
been numerous epidemics of the dis
case. In 1889 and 1890 an epidemic
Of influenza started somewhere in the
Orient, spread first to Russia and
thence over practically the entire civ
ilized world. Three years later there
was another fiare-up of the disease.
Both times the epidemic spread widely
over the United States.
although the present epidemic is
called Spanish influenza, there is no
reason to believe that it originated in
Spain. Some writer's who have stud
led the question believe that the cpl
demic came from the Orient and they
call attention to the fact that the Ger
mans mention the disease as occurring
along the eastern front in the summer
and fall of 1917"
How can Spanish" influenza be rec
ognized?r
iayas yet no certain way
in which single case of Spanish in
fluenza' may be recognized. On the
other hand, recognition is easy where
there is a group Of cases. In contrast
to the outbreak Of ordinary coughs
and colds, which usually occur in the
gold months, epidemics Of influenza
may occur at any season of the year.
Thus the present epidemic ragged most
in Europe in May, June and
July. Moreover, in the case of ordi-
nary colds, the general symptoms (fe-
yer, pain, depression) are by no means
as severe or as sudden in their onse:
as they are in influenza. Finally, or
binary colds do not spread through
so rapidly or so extensively
as does influenza.
''In most cases a person taken sick
with influenza feels sick rather sudden
Iy. He feels weak, has pains in the
eyes, ears, head or back, and may be
sore all over. Many patients feel dir
~. Some vomit. Most of the pa
tents complain of feeling chilly, and
With this comes fever in which the
rises to 100 to l04. In
most cases the pulse remains relatibe-
y slow.
"In appearance one is struck by the
act that the patient looks sick. His
yes and the inner side of his eyelids
nay be slightly bloodshot, or congest-
d, as the doctors say. There may be
.unning from the nose, or there may
,e some cough. These signs Of a
old may not be marked; nevertheless
he patient looks and feels very sick.
an addition to the appearance and
hese symptoms as already described
examination of the patients blood may
id the physician in recognizing
Spanish influenza, for it has been
ound that in the disease the number
f white corpuseles shows little or no '
Increase above the normal. 1t IS pos
ible that the laboratory inyestlga-
ions now being made through the Ma
ional Research Council and the United
,tates Hygienis Laboratory will fur
ish a more certain way in which in
ividual cases of the disease may be
What is the cause of the disease?
10 people die of it?
Ordinarily the fever lasts from
nree to four days and the patient re-
overs. But while the proportion of
eaths in the presnt epidemic has gen
rally been low, in some places the
utbreak has been severe and deaths
ave been numerous. When death oc-
nrs it is usually the result of compli-
alton"
What causes The disease and how is