The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1918-10-19

eyes ana rne inner side or his eyelfds
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 cold may not be marked; never
theless the patient looks and feels very
sick.
I'm 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 1t has been found
that In this disease the number Of
white corpuscles shows little or no In.
crease above the normal. 1t Is posi-.
BILE that the laboratory investigations
now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygienic Laboratory will fur
nish more certain way in which issli.
vidual cases Of this disease can bs
recognized"
What 10 the course Of the diseased
Do 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 1t is usually the result of q com.
plication."
What causes the disease and how 10
Il spread7
"Bacteriologists who have studied In.
fuenza epidemics in the past have
found In many of the cases a very
small rod-shaped germ called. after its
discOverer, Pfeifter'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 of
germ causes the epidemic, II 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 sneezing,
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, a
person WHO has only q mild attack of
the disease himself may give a very
severe attack 10 Others"
What should be done by those who
catch the diseased
ut is very important that every per
son who becomes sick with Influenza
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 disease far and wide. 1t 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.
IF 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
II the patient complains of fever and
headache, he should be given water to
drink, cold compress to the forehead |
and n light sponge. Only such medi- |
cine should be given as is prescribed |
by the doctor. 1t is foolish to ask the |
druggist to prescribe and may be dam
gerous to take the so-called safe, sure
and harmless remedies advertised by |
patent medicine manufacturers.
IF the patient is so situated that he |
can be attended only by some one who |
must also look after others in the fam
lily, 1t is advisable that such attendant |
wear wrapper, apron or gown over |
the ordinary house clothes while in the |
sick room and slip this off when leav- |!
Ing to look after the others.
"Nurses and attendants will do well |
to guard against breathing in danger
Gus disease germs by wearing a simple |
fold of gauze or mask while near the |
patient"
Will person who has had influenza
before catch the disease again7
ut Is well known that an attack of |
or scarlet fever or smallpox
usually protects person against an
other attack of the same disease. This
appears not to be true Of Spanish in
huenZa.' According to newspaper re-
ports the King Of Spain suffered an
attack Of influenza during the cpl