The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-23
THE INFLUENZA scouRGE.

It is declared by the state board of
health that three months of influenza
epidemic in Kansas, with eight weeks
of practically rigid flu ban, hit 10000
people. cost 5.547 lives-and meant an
economic and actuary loss to the state
of $1O2,396,75O. 1t still is enrolling
new victims at the rate of 1000 to
5000 a week.
In the short space of sixteen weeks.
ending at the close of 1918. the week
~ reports of the census bureau show
that over III, 900 deaths occurred in
forty-four cities from influenza and
pneumonia alone and 81, 900 from all
other causes combined. On this ba-
sis. with due allowance for a lower
epidemic death rate in the rural pop
ulation, this plague has taken a total
of about 425,0O0 American lives. 1t
is also estimated that at least 4.00O,-
600 people have been attacked by the
disease and either temporarily or per-
nhanently injured by it. A great num-
Der have been so weakened as to rem
der them easy prey to pneumonia, tu-
berculosis and to the common organic
diseases. Before it's effect is ultimate
ly worn off it will undoubtedly have
fastened the end of three-quarters of
a million of American lives. and the
cost of sickness, including loss of earn
ings, added to the economic value of
the lives lost, may easily aggregate
more than one and half billion dol
lars.
Why was the influenza epidemic
permitted to enter and spread thru
out our country? The answer is
simple one, says a bulletin issued by
the Equitable Life, and is especially
commended to those who have been so
quick to hold our health authorities
responsible. 1t is this:
So far science has been unable to
provide either q cure or the means
Of preventing influenza and pneu-
monia in spite of it's earnest efforts
to do so.
A committee of our foremost health
experts at the recent meeting of the
American Public Health associa ton in
Chicago has formally affirmed this
fact. They tell us that while measures
can be taken that may in some in
stances ward off this enemy and that
may relieve or retard it's progress, yet
serums and other alleged remedies are
still in the experimental stage.
This deadly and elusive enemy Wis
tied America as far back as 1647 and
has come and gone many times since,
leaving traces for long periods. Why
it should make its appearance in cpl
dernic form almost sim,fIta neousIv in
widely separated sections of the coun-
try shortly after it assumed that form
in Boston-why it should SO suddenly
| rise to its highest peak of activity and
as suddenly subside to a much lower
! level-why it continues in waves -
why it's death rate was much higher
in some cities where public assemblage
was forbidden and masks worn, than
in others nearby which took no such
PRECAUTIONARY it should furiously
attack one city. and only mildly afflict
another nearby with a much denser
and more exposed population, are
among the questions not easily an
swered.
All that our health authorities could
do was to urge our people to guard
against acts which would communi-
cate the germ, and to observe COM
nonsense health precautions against
spreading and contracting colds-in
short to observe the known rules OF
| personal hygiene and the doctors d.
rections for possible relief.
|
/ z