Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-17
Varieties of Influenza.

While in the midst Of a serious influenza
scourge that fast spreading DER the land, it is
we'll to bear in mind that many Of US render our
selves an easy prey to its ravages by undue worry
and anxiety; the people who believe they
e. DING to have influenza pretty sure Of hay
lu .ueir fears realized and this Tor the that
fear inevitably weakens the powers of resistance in
the human body.
Influenza appears TO possess different features N
the counties wherein it prevails In every able
ticle which appears in the current number of the
AnnaI d'Igiene ian Italian Journal Professor Gae-
tano Sompetro points that probably it is identi-
cal with three-day fever which has been known for
a long time in Italy and along the shores of the
Mediterranean, especially to the army surgeons
stationed there. In fact a British naval sur
geon described in April what to be the
first published cases. which occurred in epidemic
form on the island of Lemnos
Referring TO the difference of opinions 10
the true nature of the disease, sampietro says:
In the second half of May there appeared under
Nepdemic form infectious fever in Spain and Italy
It was identified with influenza by the National
Academy of Medicine in Madrid. In Italy it
garded by the older medical officers sandfy few
er. Other surgeons have stated that it was form
Of fever Of Egyptian origin, known dengue; while
others again saw in it a manifestation of trench
ever. But there are also other physicians who
the actual epidemic as called. nothing more
than recrudescence of seasonal malady of the
Mediterranean HttoraI, which has been known for
decades and which is well recognized in Italy where
from May to September it is usually prevalent in
certain regions. Military surgeons are perfectly ia
miliar with it. and have had opportunities every year
of studying it in barracks and environments.
Sandfy fever is clearlr Ugh indicated by its
-4ne From the medical yo4-. vi view the diagnosis
derives confirmation from the fact that this fever
usually prevails from the middle of May to the
end of September, whereas influenza and trench
fever epidemic in summer. The sandfIy is
small gray insect which makes it's appearance
about the end Of May and disappears early in Octo-
Der thus exhibiting strange coincidence with the
seasonal three-day fever It is known that the fly
bites at night and thrives especially in wood Per
haps this fact gives clue the present epidemic
Everywhere a large quantity of wood destined to
supply material for the construction of defence
works, trenches and huts has been transported and
doubtless wood has carried the eggs the sandfly
With this accumulation of material there has been
an aggregation Of human beings in heated barracks
establishing conditions favorable to the development
of the sandfy at attitudes and in climates which
might incompatible with it's life Moreover the
rapid decline of the epidemic after sudden brieE
period Of climax may be considered as indicating an
infection transmitted by means of insects, rather
than disease transmitted by contact.
If Samptetro's theory is correct-and he supports
it by evidence from blood and other scientific
present epidemic likely to de-
cline in the cold weather. 1t is not to be supposed
however, that precautions against its spread can be
neglected The infection is spread by secretions Of
the nose and throat in other words, by sneezing
and coughing. but especially by the practice of spit
ting in heated rooms and public stations It |
is therefore regretable that spite of the warnings
Of health authorities in the interests Of the public
there is unfortunate axity in the observance OF
.hese precautions.
II should not be forgotten that disease which is |
transmitted by coughing and sneezfng in close prox-
unity to other people may continue, although the
agent which originally conveyed the infection has
-ntirely disappeared