Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1918-10-18

in the head, eyes, ears, back or other
parts of the body and feeling Of Sc
we're sickness. In most Of the cases the
symptoms disappear after three or four
days, the patient then rapidly recover
ing. Some of the patients, however,
develop pneumonia, or Inflammation
of the ear, or meningitis, and many of
these complicated cases die. Whether
this so-called Spanish Influenza IL
identical with the epidemics Of influen-
"a OF earlier years is not vet known.
"Epidemics of influenza have visited
this country since 1647. II Is interest
ing to know that this first epidemic
was brought here from Valencia,
Spain. Since that time there have
been numerous epidemics OF the dis
ease. In 1889 and 1890 an epidemic
Of Influenza. starting somewhere In the
Orient, spread first to Russia and
thence over practically the entire CIV
ilized world. Three years later there
was another fiare-up of the disease
Both times the epidemic spread wide
ly over the United States.
Although the present epidemic Is
called Spanish Influenza there is no
reason to believe that 1t originated in
Spain. Some writers who have studied
the question believe that the epidemic
came from the Orient and they call at
tentiOn to the fact that the Germans
mention the disease as occurring along
the eastern front in the summer and
fall Of 1911"
How can Spanish Influenza" be rec
ognIzed7
There II as yet no certain way in
which single case of Spanish influ-
enza' can be recognized. On the 9TH
er hand, recognition is easy where
there is group of cases. In contrast
to the outbreaks of ordinary coughs
and colds, which usually occur In the
cold months, epidemics of influenza
may occur at any season of the year.
Thus the present epidemic ragged most
intensely in Europe in May, June and
July. Moreover, In the case Of ordi-
nary colds, the general symptoms
(fever, pain, depression) are BY no
means as severe or as sudden In their
onset as they are In influenza. Final
ly, ordinary colds do not spread
through the community so rapidly or
so extensively as does influenza.
''ln most cases 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 1O4. In
most cases the pulse remains relative
ly slow.
I'm appearance one 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-
eested, as the doctors say. There
may be running from the. nose, or
there may be some cough. These signs
u 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
hat In this disease the number Of
white corpuscles shows little or no in
crease above the normal. 1t is posi-
hle that the laboratory investigations
nov being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygienic Laboratory will fur
hish q more certain way In which indi-
idual cases Of this disease can be
ecognized."
What 10 tho course Of the disease3
DO people die Of it7
Ordinarily, the fever lasts from
.iree to four days and the patient re-
overs. But while the proportion Of
'eaths In the present epidemic has
enerally been low, In some places the
outbreak has been severe and deaths
ave been numerous. When death oc-
IRIS 1t is usually the result of COM
Iication."
What causes the disease and how 10
spread7
"Bacteriologists who have studied In
uenza epidemics In the past have
ind In mahy Of the eases very
mall rod-shaped germ called. after its
iiseoverer Pfeiffer's bacillus. In other
asses Of apparently the same kind OF
disease there were found pneumococci.
the germs Of lobar pneumonia. Still
others have been caused by strepto-
coed. and ~ others eerme With long