The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-10-19

III,
In most cases Il person taken sicl
Win influenza feels sick rather sud
denly. He feels weak, las pains in tn
eyes, ears, head or back, and may b,
sore all over. Many patients fee
dizzy, some vomit. Most of the pa
tients complain of feeling chilly, an,
with this comes fever in which th,
temperature rises to 100 to 1O4. II
most cases the pulse remains relative
| ly slow.
In appearance one is struck by the
fact that the patient looks sick. Hi,
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. o,
there may be some cough. These signs
Of cold may not be marked; never
theless 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 Span
ish influenza for it has been found
var IN this disease the number OF
wIi;e corpusclcs shows little or no in
crease above the normal. It is possi.
bic that the laboratory investigations
row being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygicnic Laboratory will fur
nish a more certain way in which indi-
vidual cases Of this disease can be
recognized"
What u the course. Of the dlseass7
% 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 oc-
ours It is usually the result Of 4 COM
plication."
What causes the dIseass ana how b
Il spread7
"Bacteriologists who have studied in
f1uenza epitlemics in the past have
found in many Of the cases . very
Small rod-slaped germ called, after Its
discoverer, Pfefffer'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 q
germ causes the epidemic, 1t II 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 sneexing, |
fOrceful talking, 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 mucus, from coughing and
sneezing, or from careless people who |
spit on the floor and on the sidewalk. |
As in most other catching diseases, Z
person who has only mild attack OF |
the disease himself may give q very
severe attack to others"
What should be done by those wi,e
catch thesdisease7
1t IS very important that every per-
son who becomes sick with influenza
should 60 home at once and 60 to bed.
This will help keep away dangerous
and will. at the same
time, keep the patient from scattering
the disease far and wide. It Is highly
desirable that no one be allowed to
sleep In the same room with the pa
tient In fact, no one but the nurse
should be allowed in the room.
III there is cough and sputum or
running Of the eyes and nose, care
should be taken that all such dis
charges are collected on bits Of gauze
or rag or paper napkins and burned
4 the patient complains OF fever and
headache, he should be given wnter to
1rink, cold compress to the forehead
md light sponge. Only such meti-
line should be given as Is prescribed
~ the doctor. It is foolish to ask the
iruggist 10 prescribe and may be dan
yerouS TO take the s0-cailed safe, sure
md harmless remedies advertised by
patent medicine manufacturers.
"If the patient IS 50 situated that he
AN be attended only by some one who
must also look after others In the fam
ly, 1t II advisable that such attendant
wear wrapper, apron or gown over
he ordinary house clothes while In the
lick room and slip this OF when leav-
ng to look after the others. II
"Nurses and attendants WIN do well
o guard against breathing IN danger
'us disease gerns BY wearing slmpas
old Of Ea11e q mask while nenr L.