The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1918-10-18
SPANISH INFLUENZA"-"THREE.
DAY FEVER"-"THE FLU.-

What is Spanish Influenza? Is 1t
something new? Does it come from
Spain?
The disease now occurring in this
country and called Spanish Influ-
enza' resembles very contagious
kind of cold accompanied by fever.
pains in the head, eyes, ears. back or
other parts of the body, and a feel
ing Of severe sickness. In most of
the cases the symptoms disappear at
ter three or four days, the patient then
rapidly recovering; some of the pa
tents, however, develop pneumonia,
or Inflammation of the ear, or menin-
gifts and many of these complicated
cases die. Whether this sO-caiied
Spanish" influenza is Identical With
The epidemics of influenza of earlier
years is not yet known.
K Epidemics of influenza have visited
this country since 1647. 1t is inter-
esting to know that this first epidemic
was brought here from Valencia,
Spain. Since that time there have
been numerous epidemics of the dis
ease. In 1889 and 1890 an epidemic
OF Influenza, starting somewhere in
the Orient, spread first to Russia, and
thence over practically the entire
civilized world. Three years later
there was another flare-up of the dis
ease. 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
Eidied the question believe that the
epidemic came from the Orient and
tney call attention to the fact that
lne Germans mention the disease as
occurring along the eastern front in
the summer and fall of 1917.
How can Spanish Influenza be
recognized?
Ihere is as yet no certain way in
which single case of Spanish in
nuenza' can be recognized: on the
other hand, recognition Is easy where
lnere Is group of cases. In con-
trast to the outbreaks of ordinary
coughs and colds, which usually occur
u the cold months, epidemics Of in
huenza may occur at any season of
lae year, thus the present epidemic
ragged most intensely in Europe In
aay, June and July. Moreover in the
case OF ordinary colds, the general
symptoms (fever and pain, depres-
sion) are by no means as severe or
as sudden in their onset as they are
IN influenza. Finally, ordinary colds
10 not spread through the community
10 rapidly or so extensively as does
Influenza.
IN most cases person taken sick
Win Influenza feels sick rather sud
ueniy. He feels weak, has pains In
.ne eyes, ears, head or back, and may
oe sore all over. Many patients fee
uiAzy, some vomit Most of the pa
uenls complain of feeling chilly, and
WIN this comes a fever in which the
'ehperature rises to 100 to 104. lr
.aosl cases the pulse remains rela
lively slow.
in appearance one is struck by thu
''et that the patient looks sick. Hii
yves and the inner side Of his eyelid'
'uay De slightly "bloodshot," or con
sested as the doctors say. There
lay be running from the nose. o.
'aere may be some cough. Thes'
''shs or a cold may not be marked
.eVertheless the patient looks ant
feels very sick.
III addition to the appearance ant
'ne symptoms as already described
examination of the patients bloo'
nlay aid the physician in recognizing
spanish Influenza" for il has beel
iouhd that in this disease the numbe
" white corpuscles shows little o
W increase above the normal. 1t
possible that the laboratory investiga
.,ons now being made through the Ma
uohal Research Council and the Unit
.u states Hygenic Laboratory Wi
furnish a more certain way in whic
INDIVIDUAL cases of this disease ca
De recognized.
What is the course of the disease
10 people die of 1t?
OrQlnarilV tho fever lasts frOl
Iaree to four days and the patient r.