Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-05
SPANISH FLU"
DATES BACK TO
BEFORE CHRIST
Disease Not New, Having
Been Prevalent During Days
When HippoCrates Was
on Earth.

! Medical experience. has proven
the best preventative method of
dealing with Spanish influenza is
isolation.
1t is a disease that is communi-
Gated from one person to another
by personal contact The life of
the bacillus outside of the body is
very short.
Persons are "carriers' of the dis
case. Those who have it can COIL
tamnate others when they sneeze,
especially in street car in a room
or other enclosed place where there
is not free circulation OF air.
1t is the old ia grippe" so named
because it comes with the sudden
mes of a grip. One can be walking
along the street, in apparent good
health and can be suddenly seized
with all of the symptoms and in
side of half an hour be very sick.
Because it is pandemic, flourish
ing in its spread by contact in
crowds, the best manner of preven-
ton is the quarantine and the isola-
ton of individuals. This is a good
time for mothers. sweethearts. rela-
tives and others to refrain from
kissing those who are dear to them.
The use of common drinking cups
and of dishes and other utensils in
restaurants and all other places is
dangerous at this time.
Spanish influenza, public service
scientists believe, is very similar, if
not identical to the epidemic of
grippe which swept the country in
lS89-9O.
Very likely the infection. resur-
rected in Europe. and after
sweeping the war torn countries
now has appeared in the United
States, has very ancient history,
taking it back to the days Of Hip
pocrates and Livius more than 400
years before Christ.
The best means OF treatment of
the influenza cases were colnmuni-
Gated to the country a few days ago
by Surgeon General Blue through
the Associated Press. Now Cen
eral Blue has issued a leahet which
tells something about the strange
malady.
Brought from Europe.
1T seems probable that in 1918.
as in l8S9-90, the earliest appearance
was in eastern Europe" it says. "By
April cases were occurring Oh the
western front. In Spain. according
to reports, so per cent of the popu-
lation were attacked in May. The
1889 epidemic, starting in northern
Europe, also fell heavily or Spain;
the present ruler, then 8 years old,
being one of the first attacked in
Madrid. The king of Spain is said
also to have been attacked i'll the
present epidemic. The epidemic of
1918 was at it's height in Germany
in June and July. 1t has appearedl
in practically every section of
Europe. In England the epidemic
prevailed in May, june and July.
Outbreaks have been reported
from various sections of tie United
States, but the spread has been by !
no means SO rapid as in 1889 when
the disease occurred in America al
most simultaneously with its appear
ance in western Europe.
Some OF Symptoms.
"The symptoms in the present
pandemic have been an acute on
set, often very sudden, with bodily
weakness and pains in the head
eyes. back, and elsewhere in the
body. Vomiting may be symp-
tom of onset and dizziness if fire.
quent Chilly sensations are usual,
and the temperature is from 100
to lO4 degrees, the pulse remaining
comparatively low. Sweating is
not infrequent. The appetite is lost.
and prostration is marked. Consti-
patton is the rule. Drowsiness and |
photophobia are comon. The fever
usually lasts from three to five
days; but relapses are not uncom-
mon, and complications. particularly
pulmonary, are to be feared. The
death rate is usually given as ex-
tremely low; but in the latter pc
RODS of an outbreak an increased
number Of deaths, presumably due
to complications, has been reported
in Spain and in the United States.
Besides bronchitis and pneumonia,
inflammation of the middle ear and
cardiac weakness may follow the
disease.
THE short course Of the fever
always less than seven days. in
incomplicated influenza is an aid in
diagnosis. All ages are attacked,
young active adults being especial
" susceptible. In Germany there
has been such a preponderance OF
cases among the young that it is
supposed that the 1889 epidemic:
conferred an immunity on most OF
those at present over 80 years OF