The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-10-11

fiucnxa n Identical with the cpl.
denies OF influenza OF earlier years
IL not yet known.
Epidemic In 1Gs7
EpIdemics OF influenza have
visited this country since istT. II
is interesting 10 know that this first
epidemic was brought here from
Valencia. Spain Since that time
there have been numerous epidemics
OF tn. disease. In 1859 and 1880
an epidesnic Of Influenza. starting
somewhere in the orient. spread
first 10 Russia. and thence over
practically the entire civilized
world. THREE years later there WAS
another flare up Of the disease.
Both times the epidemic spread
widely over the United states.
Aitho the present epidemic r.
called Spanish influenza" there is
no reason To believe that II origi-
mated in Spain. Some writers who
have studied tho question believe
that the epidemic came from the
Orient and they call attention 10
the disease a. occurring along the
eastern front In the summer and
fall OF 1917.
How can Spanish Influenza" be
reeognizeds
There liz an yet no certain way
In which a single case OF "spaniah
influenza can be recognized. on the
a.
where there IL group OF cases
In contrast 20 the outbreaks OF ordi
nary coughs and colds. which usually
occur In the cold months. epidemics
OF influenza may occur at any sea
son OF the year. Thus, the present
epidemic ragged most intensely ir
Europe in May. June. and July
Moreover. In the case Of ordinary
colds. the general symptoms fever
pain. DEPRESSION ARE by no means as
severe or as sudden in their onset
as they are in Influenza Finally
ordinary colds do not spread thru
the community 80 rapidly or so OK
tensively as does influenza.
In most cases person taken sick
with influenza feels sick rather
suddenly. 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
patients complain of feeling chilly.
and with this comes n fever in
which the temperature rises TO 100
TO 10s. In most cases the pulse re
mains relatively slow.
Patients Look Sick"
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 "congested." M the doctors say.
There may be running from the
nose, or there may be some cough.
These signs OF n cold may not be
marked: nevertheless 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 recognize
ing spanish Influenza" for II has
been found that In this disease the
number of white corpuscles shows
littIc or no increase above the nor.
NAL. IL is possible that the labora-
tory Investigations now being made
thru the National Research coun.
eli and the United states Hygicnic
laboratory will furnish n more Ger.
tain way in which individual cases
of this disease can be recognized.
what II the course Of the disease!
DO people die Of it'
Ordinarily. the fever lasts from
three 20 four days and the patient
reeovers. But while the proportion
OF deaths in the present epidemic
has generally been low. in some
places the outbreak has been severe
ana deaths have been numerous
when death occurs II is usually the
result OF a complication.
What causes the disease and how
r. II spread?
Bacteriologists who have studied
influenza epidemics In the past have
found in many OF the cases a very
smaII rod.shapcd germ called. after