The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1919-02-20
THE BATTLING MYSTERY
OF INFLUENZA

From The Augusta Chronicle:N
For about six months the modern
methods~of medical science have been
directed againts influenza and it's re-
sultant ailments, with a view to solv-
ing the problem of its treatment, but
all to little avail. The epidemic pre-
walls throughout almost the entire
world and already the victims accred-
tied to it exceed the combined killed
on all sides during the recent world
war, despite the fact that the war con-
tinued four years and the influenza
epidemic has been general only for
little more than six months.
Quarantine precautions, inocula-
ton, and all the plans that have been
launched, have not served to entirely
check the onward march of the dis
ease. The government experts have
studied the situation in every intri-
cate detail and an investigation which
has just been concluded only adds to
the dilemma of treating the disease.
A hundred young naval volunteers
were subjects on whom experiments
were tried.
Prior to the experiment influenza
masks were widely used and general
ly advocated, the belief being that
the influenza was strictly a mouth and
troat disease. Every detail tending
to develop infection this way, was
carried out, but it. was shown to the
satisfaction of the, investigating ply
sicians that this method was not the
sole source or even general method
of infection, but it is urged, however,
that particular attention be given to
coughing, sneezing and expectorat-
ing.
Two other Investigations, similar
ly conducted, proved conclusively
that further. medical research must
be made before there is any solution
found of the influenza mystery, which
remains as battling as it ever has been
in the past.
The present worldwide epidemic is
the most general and most destruct-
i've that has ever been experienced.
/. The first recorded trouble with influ-
, enza comes from Italy, the attack
being in the seventeenth century
The next century it appeared in
| France and was styled lagrippe and
since that time it has been recorded
in different parts of the world from
time to time. Its general spread at
, this time would ordinarily be attrib-
uted to transportation conditions
but whatever research has been made
indicates that this has but little to
do with it.
In 1882 the disease first became
known in England and shortly after
it's outbreak British squadron, fa,
out at sea, that had not been within
a hundred miles of land since the
outbreak of the epidemic, was sc
disabled by illness of the sailors, that
it had to put back to port. Again
1848 there was a recurrence of the
S disease and 1868 people are report,
: ed as having died from the disease or
: the British islands.
The first general attack in the
/ United States came in 1890-91, but
it was confined mostly to large cities
so far as the record goes, and ever
then it was not a very malignant
type, the death rate being very low
, comparatively speaking. AT. the same
. period, however, the epidemic was
, prevalent in Italy, the West Indies
Egypt and China, the general estim
ate being that the mortality doubled
he death rate of the sections af
fected.
Theoretical deductions made b,
the medical world at that time were
to the effect that the disease appar.
emily made its greatest ravages af
ter severe winters, but on the whole
1T did not confne itself to any par
l of the world, wind, climate or wealth.
er not in any way playing a part in
the spread of the disease.
, The disease is difficult to handle
because of the short-lived character
: of the germs. Its sudden attack
makes it impossible to protect others
from the disease and diagnosis is
frequently impossible before the in
liuenza has made great inroads on
t the system of the patient.
!, There are four types of the disease
catalogued by the medical fraternity,
T being that of febrile, which usually
applies to children, respiratory, gas
tro-intenstinal and nervous, the
second named and the latter being
the worst forms. 1t is pointed out,