Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-10-18
identical with the epidemics Of innuen-

I Ndo bfDl-il mere AiDiL alrHt-di
Spain. Since that time there have
been numerous epidemics Of the dis
ease. In 1889 and 1880 an epidemic
Of influenza. starting somewhere In the
/ Orient, spread first TO Russia and
thence over practically the entire civ
iIlzed world. Three years later there
was another hare-up Of the disease.
Both times the epidemic spread wide
Iy over the United States.
although the present epidemic Is
called Spanish influenza there is no
reason 10 believe that il originated In
/ Spain. Some writer's who have studied
the question believe that the epidemic
came from the Orient and they call ar
tentiOn to the fact that the Germans
mention the disease as occurring along
the eastern 'front.' in the summer anc
fall Of 1917"
How can Spanish influenza" be rec
ognized7
There is as yet no certain way IN
which a single case of Spanish infiu-
enza' can be recognized. On the 9TH
er hand, recognition is easy where
there is a group Of cases. In contrast
10 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 slay. June and
Tr1fr- Inrcnr-ar In Tho Of 0r7f
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.
In most cases a 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 l04 In
most cases the pulse remains relative
ly slow
IN appearance one is struck by rbe
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
theIess the patient looks and feels very
sick.
In addition to the appearance ard
the symptoms as already described,
examination OF the patients blood may
aid the physician in recognizing Span
ish Influenza, for It las been foun1
that In this disease the number OF
white corpuscles shows little OF no in
crease above the normal Il is pOssi-'
BILE that the laboratory investigations
now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygienic Laboratory viii fur
nish a more certain way in which indi-
vidual cases of this disease can be
recognized"
What is the course Of ths disease7
Do people die Of it?
Ordinarily. the fever lasts from
three TO four days and the patient re-
covers. But while the proportion Of
deaths in the present epidemic has
generally been low, in some places the
outbreak has been severe and deaths
have been numerous. When death oc-
ours it is usually the result Of COM /
plication."
What causes the disease and how is
Il spread7
"BacteriologiSts who have studied in
fuenza epidemics In the past have I
found In many Of the cases very /
Small rod shaped germ called. after its 4
discoverer. Pfeifer's bacillus In other.
cases Of apparently the same kind OF,
disease there were found pneumoeocci.
the germs Of lobar pneumonia Still 4
others have been caused by strepto-,
cocci. and by others germs with long
names 81
mo matter what particular kind of
germ causes the epidemic. II is now.
believed that influenza is always
spread from person to person, the
germs being carried with the air along
With the very small droplets Of mucus.
expelled by coughing or sneezing,
,orceful talking. and the Ike 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
rom dried mucus, from coughing and
;neezing. or from careless people who
pit on the floor and on the sidewalk
As in most other catching diseases,
person who has only a mild attack OF
he disease himself may give a very
severe attack 70 others"
What should be done by these who
;stch the disease?
1T is very important thst every per-
on who becomes sick with influenza .
hould 20 home at once and 90 TO bed
This VIII help keep away dangerous &
and will. at the same
ime. keep the patient from scattering
he disease far and wide 1t is highly
desirable that no one be allowed TO /,
iasr II, the same room with the pa