The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-10-11

does Influenza.
In most case rs a person taken sick
with influenza feels sick rather sud-
denly. He feels weak, has pains in
the eyes, ears, head or back, and may
be sore all over. Many patients feel
dizzy, some vomit. Most of the pa
tients complain of feeling chilly, and
with this comes a fever in which the
temperature rises to 100 to 104. In
lively slow.
In appearance n is struck by the
fact that the patient looks sick. His
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;
nevertheless the patient looks and
feels very sick.
In addition to the appearance and
the symptoms as already described,
examination of the patients blood
may aid the physician in recognizing
Spanish Influenza" for it has been
found that in this disease the number
of white ~corpusclesJ shows little or
no increase above the normal. 1t is
possible that the laboratory investi-
cations now being made through the
United States Hygienic Laboratory
will furnish al more certain way in
which individual 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
RECEIVERS. 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 occurs il is usually the result
of a complication.
What causes the disease and how
it is spread?
Psychologists who have studied
influenza epide mics in the past have
found in many of the cases a very
small rod-shaped germ called, after
its 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 streptocoGci, and by other
germs with long names.
No 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 sneez-
ing, forceful talking and the like by
one who already has the germs of
the disease. They may also be car
dust coming from dried mucus, from
coughing and sneezipg, or from care
less people who spit on the floor and
on the sidewalk. AS in most other
catching diseases, a person who has
only a mild attack of the disease
himself may give a, very severe at
tack to others.
What should be done by those who
catch the disease?
1t is very important that every
person who becomes sick with influ-
enza should go 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 the diseas 3 far and wide.
1t is highly desirable that no one be
allowed to sleep in the same room
with the patient. In fact, no n but
the nurse should be allowed in the
room.
If there is cough and sputum or
running of the eyes and nose, care
should be taken that all such dis
eases 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. a cold compress to the fore
head and a light sponge. Only such
medicine should be given as is pre-
scribed by the doctor. 1t is foolish
to ask the druggist to prescribe and
may be dang erous to take the so
called "safe, sure and harmless
remedies advertised by patent med
icine manufacturers,
If the patient is so situated that
he can be attended only by some one
who must also look after others in
the family, it is advisable that such
attendant wear a wrapper, apron or
gown over the ordinary house clothes
while in the sick room, and slip this
off when leaving to look after the
others.
Nurses and attendants will do well
to guard against breathing in dan
gerous disease germs by wearing a
simple fold OF gauze or mask while
near the patient.
Will a pers on VIII o has had influ-