The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-18
Mapping the March Of Influenza.
(Alfred B. Williams in Richmond
Times-Dispatch.)

| (Alfred B. Williams in Richmond
Times-Dispatch.)
!, Charts Of the influenza epidemic,
now being prepared from oficiai re-
ports by the bureau of public health
will be ready in a few days for study
| by the doctors. They seem to prove
+ that neither climate nor climatic con-
ditions affect the spread Of the Vlru-
lence Of the disease. 1t swept over
the American ointment in six weeks
seemed to bur. itself out and prac-
itically disappeared. Now 1t is IN
Puerto Rico, and is paralyzing indus
try and causing general distress
there.
+ The first report of it in this country
was at Lawrence, Kan, in March 1t
was kept within narrow limits there,
apparently being merely a local cpl
ldenic. About the same time it be-
came prevalent in : southern Russia.
From there it spread westward
through Austria and Germany and
eastward into India. It first touched
!! our territory in June, when 1t reach
,ed the Philippine Islands, where 1t
ispread with startling rapidity and
made havoc. Then it aroused atten-
ition and anxiety at Washington, and
was closely watched. 1t appeared at
Honolulu in August.
From the other side it arrived in
!Spain late in April or early in May. A
case was reported at an American
naval base in France July 26. A
month later, August 26, cases We're
reported at Boston and earlier ip
august the disease was at Newport
News and Norfolk. Coming from the
Philippines and Honolulu, in the Pa
cif1c, and from France, on the Allan
tic, it reached our eastern and west
ernl shores almost simultaneously and
then moved like wildfire. It was rec
iognized as epidemic at Boston the
second week in September and reach
ed its peak of destructiveness there
the week ending October 5, in which
it caused 1,214 deaths. The follow
ing week the deaths were 1,127, and
-four weeks later the number had faf-
|peak was reached October 26, three
weeks behind Boston, with 5,15e
deaths, nearly II per cent. Of the
cases. The peak was reached in
Philadelphia week ahead Of New
York, with 4,218 deahs. Richmond S
worst week was the same as Phila-
ldelphia, with Alt cases in that week
and 1917 deaths, comparatively a
small percentage of fatality. In Vir-
ginia, outside Of Richmond, however
the week ending October 26 was the
worst, 27,327 cases being reported.
L Philadelphia suffered more than
sany other large city in the country
in proportion to population. This is
attributed to the number of large
camps In the nelghborhood and to the
hosts of shipyard workers. St. Louis
was the most fortunate of the cities.
The worst week there was that end
ing November 5, with 257 deaths.
The States south Of Virginia were at
their worst stage when she was. IL
Illustrating the difference in the NOR
tally rates, the reports show that
while the epidemic was raging most
Violently it caused in Philadelphia
.260 deaths to the 100000, in Wash
ington, 160, and in in st. Louis, 20.
The disease is not new: 1t has
been traced back to the 18th century,
same characteristics that mark it
now. Always its spread has been ra-
ipid and the decline has been sudden.
In 1892 it was known to have started
at Constantinople, and reached San
Francisco in six weeks. In l847 1t
was more violent and fatal in this
country that at any other time, the
records show.
Scientists in this country and Eng
land are sure they have found and
identified the bacillus, and are equal
ly sure they know the means of COM
cunication; the dispersal of drop
lets from the infected. The expert
ments with incubation as preven-
tive have not been successful thus
far Therefore the fighting Of the
disease must be left to the public. in
cooperation with local health autao-
rites. We are warned Of the posi-
bility, if not the probability, of an
early return, perhaps next spring.
The best preparation for it will be
to have all in readiness at the very
first notice to take to the masks and
to accept and enforce the rules SO
thoroughly taught us. One fact very
definitely learned is that influenza
does not follow lines Of direction, but
spreads all ways at once and more
swiftly than any other epidemic
disease. 1t was in its fiercest malig-
nant force simultaneously in Arizona
and the District of Columbia.