Morris tribune., 1918-10-11
SPANISH INFLUENZA
PREVAILED in 1922
Authoritative Facts Given Out by the
Minnesota Public Health
Association

Spanish Influenza are printed in the
current issue of the Minnesota Public
Health Association Journal
1. Spanish Influenza is the in
fiuenza of 1892; it is due to
Pfeiffer's bacillus; it is not the same
as what has been termed grip dur
ing the last few years.
2. Symptoms: Sudden onset, dir
illness, weakness, pains in various
parts of body; temperature rises sud-
denly to 1913 degrees or 104 degrees;
headache, pain in back, light hurts
eyes; sore throat, sometimes laryn-
gifts, bronchitis, etc. Fever falls in
three or four days, and patient re-
covers rapidly; or irregular fever
persists, with bronchitis; death some
times from acute bronchiolitis, with
cynaosis and failure of right heart;
pneumonia sometimes occurs.
Prostitution is marked.
8. Incubation: from the moment
of infection to the beginning of the
symptoms an interval of one to four
days Ejaculation period) intervenes
during which the prospective patient
is not sick.
4. Infectiousness: the disease is
caught" from previous sufferers,
just as is measles, or any seevre cold,
by the discharges from the patients
nose and mouth reaching the mouth
of the prospective patient; by kissing,
using the same handkerchief or
towel, etc.; by inhaling air contain
ing droplets from the patients nose
or mouth, expelled in coughing,
sneezing or even talking; by smears
on fingers from touching patients
hands, bed clothes, especially pill
lows, etc.,, handkerchiefs, tc.,-and
then putting these infected fingers in
the mouth.
S. Isolation: patient should be
isolated at once, with disinfection of
discharges of nose and mouth, boiling
of handkerchiefs, towels, etc.; attend
ants should wear masks" Cor sur
gical respiratory to exclude droplets
from nose and mouth, and glasses
(spectacles preferably-plain glass
will do) to protect eyes from same.
Attendants hands must be washed
every time after touching patient or
anything on which are patients dis
charges.
6. Treatment: patient in bed as
fever exists. Keep patient warm,
supply fresh air, plenty of food and
water, Dover's powders for pain.
Great care during convalescence.
Quinine and aspirin (the latter espe-
cially only under PHYSICIANS orders)
seem useful.
Notes: (a) Isolation: SO far as
possible, every patient should have a
separate room. If wards must be
used, large screens or temporary par
titions should be placed between beds.
This is because the other germs, as
ISOLATED with the PfeifHer bacillus,
vary in different cases. The patients
all have influenza, but some have
other things, too, and, therefore, one
influenza patient may infect another
influenza patient with his complica-
tons and so make the attack worse
than it need have been.
(b) Distinction: during the at
tack, all discharges, especially of nose
and mouth, all infected towels, hand
kerchiefs, bed clothes, eating utensils,
etc., should be boiled or dipped in 2
per cent carbolic acid, or per cent
lyso1, in water There should be a
single attendant, who should wear a
respirator Cor mask, spectacles
(p1ain glass will do) and wash hands
always after touching patient; or dip
hands (instead of washing) in BIZ
chloride solution Il in 10000. Fumi-
cation after attack is unnecessary.
Communities: Should organize un-
der Health Officer, American Red
Cross, local Public Health Associa-
ton, hospital committee, National
Council of Defense, etc., (a) To teach
Effectiveness of disease, through
mouth-spray droplets, (see Par. ~
sputum, hands. (b) To advocate
prompt isolation of patient during
fever period and rest in bed until
full recovery. (c) To train attend
(Par. s.. (d) To provide daily in
spection of afflicted households, in or
der to secure Cd Isolation; (2) Prop
er care of attendant; (3) Proper care
of patient. (e) To provide funds for
free medical or expert nursing serv-
ice that may be necessary. (f) In
large serious outbreaks, hospital fac
ilities may have to be improvised in
properly warmed private houses; or
even in double walled, foored tents,
warmed by "air-tights," or small coal
stoves (not oil-stoves.)