The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-19
1t Has Appeared In illinois and Al.
tforities in Neighboring States
Redoubie Their
Vigilance.
AN EPIDEMIC IS FEARED
Possible Spread Of Disease as Virulent
as IL Was Last Fall
is to be Com
batted

! The appearance OF summer, "tlu"
in the state Of Illinois has led to
the redoubling of efforts on the part
of medical men in Iowa, Illinois and
/ Missouri to prevent an outbreak in
| the Spanish brand Of influenza this
| fall such as occurred last October
and continued through the winter.
A press story from Springfield tells
| OF the conditions that are existing
there in connection with the out
break.
Within the last two weeks the
state department Of health has been
investigating several epidemic out
breaks OF so-called summer colds"
or summer flu and from data in
hand it appears that there recently
has been recrudescence Of influ-
enza OF mild type in a number
Of widely separated communities
throughout the state This develop,
ment is a matter OF considerable
concern to the state health authori-
ties, especially In view Of the ap-
proach OF the season when the dis
ease ordinarily takes on greater
severity. 1t indicates that the seed
of infection Is in our midst and that
every precaution must be taken to
hold 1t within bounds.
In this connection the state de-
partment Of public health is calling
official and public attention to the
regulations prescribed for the pre-
vention of the spread OF Influenza
Infection, and is insisting upon their
strict enforcement In every known
or suspected case. For the purpose
Of proper control the department
urges the necessity Of regarding
every case of summer cold" sum
mer flu" or bronchitis with grave
suspicion.
Symptoms Of Summer Flu
The clinical picture Of the cases
investigated is as follows: Onset
sudden, with symptoms of cold in
the head and inflamed throat, tenn
perature commonly running as high
as 103 to 104 Fair. headache, mus.
Gle ache, pulmonary rales. and in
some cases nausea and vomiting.
Duration, from three to five days.
Very few cases have serious lung
involvement and, 80 far as known, no
deaths have resulted.
In more than Sc per cent Of the
cases investigated, the affected per
sons had not been infected with in.
fluenza during the preceding cpl.
demic. About 80 per cent had influ-
enza last winter.
Epidemic Prospects.
Some health authorities hold that
in the light of knowledge OF pre-
vious epidemics of influenza, we may
look for another epidemic wave OF
serious proportions with the onset of
fall; others express the belief that
the disease has spent its force and
that developments Of any material
consequence are quite unlikely this
coming season. With the seed Of
Infection still In our midst, 1t is at
least reasonable to expect something
more than usual fall and winter In
fluenzal infections and death rate
considerably above the normal.
Health authorities are preparig
to meet any situation that may de-
velop. The state department OF
health Of Illinois is mobilizing med
ical forces and the American Red
Cross, cooperating with the health
authorities, is perfecting nursing
and hospital services in order that
medical and nursing relief may be
promptly afforded.
What to Do Now.
Just now the really important
thing to do is to strictly enforce the