Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-10-06
FLU" IS SAID TO
BE OF HUN ORIGIN
Present Outbreak First Noticed
Among German SOldlcrs-SimlIar
tO Epidemic Of 1889.
BY DR.. JOHN w. DUKE,
(State ecnnuIssioner NJ Health

estate com mmlSSlOner or hedItn-)
For weeks the public has been
hearing OF Spanish influenza. -
While there Ii no question that many
OF the cases Of supposed influenza
arc simply cases OF very severe colds.
thcrc is also no doubt that an cpl
demic influenza is prevalent. II has
been much more severe In the cast
orn states than In Oklahoma In
Boston the weekly death rate has In
creased to nearly three times that Of
tho corresponding period In 1917 be
cause Of the ravdgcs Of this disease.
This acute infectious disease Is
similar In many respects 10 the dis
case which largely prevailed In Eu-
rope. and 10 n lesser extent In the
United States tn 1890. The pres
ent outbreak seems to have been
first noted ~ a severe epidemic NJ
Germany Reports from the western
front told Of many German soldiers
su fferinR from influenza before the
soldiers or civilian population of tho
allied COuntrieq became greatly at
fcctcd, although the interval was a
short one, tho disease apparently
spreading rnpidy
Outbreaks have been reported
from various sections OF the United
states. but the spread has by no
means been SO rapid as In 1899. when
the disease occurred In America al
most simultaneously with its appear
ancr in western Europe. In the alb
scrc" oi q ciedn-ru' sympiOmatOlOty.
distinct from ihdt Of other diseases
and Of any criterion. such as a
proved cAusttivo organism, demon.
. .
or his 4 snhargcs n is difficult to
make diagnosis I'm individual cases
auart from an intense prevalence Of
tho disease.
IA rs likewise impossible TO assert
or deny the unity OF this epidemic
with that Of 1sS9-oO. In the earlier
epidemic the outbreaks. occurred
I'm October. November and Decem-
bcr. In 1888 the heavy incidence in
foreign countries has been In sum-
mer. The general character OF the
disease. its tendency to spread along
routes Of travel and the enormously
high case incident have been similar
In both.
The symptoms in the present cpl
demIc have been an acute onset.
often very sudden. with bodily weak
ness and pains In the head, eyes.
hack and elsewhere In the body.
Chilly sensations are usual and the
temperature IL from 100 to l0i, the
pulse remaining com paratively low.
Sweating Is not infrequent. The ap-
petite Is lost and prostration IL
marked. Constipation Is the rule.
Drowsiness is common. The mucous
membranes OF the nose, throat and
hronchl often give evdenceof in
tlammation.
The general symptoms, however,
predominate over the local. The
fever usually lasts from three TO five
days, but relapses are not uncommon
and complications. particularly pull
monary. are to be feared. The death
rate IL usually low, but in the latter
periods OF an outbreak an increased
number OF deaths. presumably due to
complications. has been reported. Be-
sides bronchitis and pneumonia, in
flammation OF the middle ear and
cardiac weakness may follow the dis
ease.
In It's onset. epidemic influenza
may simulate almost any Of the acute
infectious diseases. but in the civil
population II must he differentiated
chiefly from bronchitis. from Cerehro
spinal fever and from such CON
dtions as the glandular fever OF
children.
The incubation period Is probably
as a rule very short. although with
so great prevalence this is hard to
verify. In some places there has
been such preponderance OF cases
among the young that It Is supposed
that the 1889 epidemic conferred an
Immunity on most Of those at nreSent
over 30 years OF age. This has not
been proven In many communities
conditions do not seem to bear out