The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-10-17
Coughs and Sneezcs
Spread Diseases

in the head, eyes. ears, back or other
parts of the body and a feeling Of Sc
we're sickness. III most of the cases the
symptoms disappear after three or four
days, the patient then rapidly recover
ing. SoEne of the patients, however,
Of the ear, or meningitis, and many Of
these complicated cases die. Whether
this so-called Spanish influenza is
identical with the epidemIcs of inf1uen-
"a of earlier years is not yet known.
"Epidemics Of influenza have visited
this country since 1917. 1t 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
casa IN 1880 and 1890 az eptdeu4o
AZ tufasanza. se8FttAg somewhere "a ths
theaes O<eR practically the entire CIV
ilized weird Three years later there
was another hare-up Of the disease
Both times the epidemic spread wide
~ over the United States.
Although the present epidemic is
called Spanish Influenza there is no
reason to believe that it originated in
Spain. Some writer's 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
fall of 1917"
How can Spanish Influenza" be rec
ognIzed7
'aThere is as yet no certain way In
which a single case of Spanish inf1u-
enza' can be recognized. On the 9TH
er hand, recognition is easy where
there Is a 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 ordi-
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
~, ordinary colds do not spread
through the community so rapidly or
so extensively as does influenza.
I'm 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 Eomit Most Of the pa
TENTS complain of feeling chilly, and
with this comes q fever In which the
temperature rises to 100 to 1O4. In
most cases the pulse remains relative
~ 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 additien to the appearance and
the symptoms as already described,
examination Of the patients blood may
ai6the physician In recognizing Span
isAz Influenza for it has been found
that In this disease the number OF
white corpuscles shows little or no In
crease above the normal 1t is posi-
bic that the laboratory Investigations
now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygienic Laboratory will fur
nish more certain way in which indi-
vidual cases Of this disease can be
recognized"
What Is the course % the dIsease7
Do people die Of tt7
AOrdinariIy. H1e fever lasts from
fnEee 10 four days and the pa5ent r.
coYer1 Bdt while the proportion Il
deaths ID tie present epEdezale lsas