The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-10-15

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~ nansezvas a. Ruasoa 0as Shells
In the head. eyes. ears, back or other
parts Of the body and feeling Of So
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 is
Identical with the epidemics Of infiuen-
"a Of earlier years is not yet 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 1880 and 1890 an epidemic
Of Influenza. starting somewhere in the
Orient spread first to Russia and
thence over practically the entire civ
lized world. Three years later there
was another flare-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
fan Of 1917"
How can spanish influenza" be rec
ognlxed7
There is as yet no certain way in
which single case Of Spanish infiu-
enza' can be recognized. On the 9TH
er hand. recognition Is easy where
there 10 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 orfi-
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 90 rapidly or
30 extensively as does Influenza.
In most cases person taken sick
with influenza feels sick rather sud
denly. BE 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 q fever in which the
temperature rises to 100 to 104 In
most cases the pulse remains relative
ly slow.
"In 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
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.
"In 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 it has been sop9&
lint in tins disease the number
white corpuscics shows little or no fn
crease above the normal. II is poss.
bic that the laboratory investigation.
now being made through the Nationa
Research Council and the Unitet.
States Hygienic Laboratory will fur
nish more certain way In which ind
vldual cases OF this disease can b.
recognized"
What ls the course Of the disease
Do people die Of M
Ordinarily, the fever lasts from
three to four days and the patient re
covers. But while the proportion Of
deaths In the present epidemic ha.
generally been low. in some places tn,
outbreak has been severe and deaths
have been numerous. When death oc
ours II r. usually the result of a com
plication."
What causes the disease and how Is
il spread7
"Bacteriologists who have studied In
1uenza epidemics In the past have
found In many Of the cases very
Small rod-shaped germ called. after its
,ilscoverer. Pfeiffer's bacillus. In other
'-ascs of apparently he 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.
"No matter what particular kind of
germ causes the epidemic, It Is now
believed that influenza is always
prend from person to person, the
,erms 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 !
n 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 mild attack of
the disease himself may give very
severe attack to others"
What should be done by those who
catch the dlsease7
1T Is very important that every per
son who becomes sick with influenza
should go home of once and go to bed.
This will help keep away dangerous
and Will, at the same
time. keep the patient from scattering
the disease far and wide. It is highly