The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-08-14
DREAD DISEASE WILL
COME BACK
Influenza Epidemic Sure to Return.

WdSQlnSlOU, aug. O-Il SOu A4OP
T. to keep your health this autumn, get
tyourself into the pink of physical con-
Pdition and take all possible precau-
tions to avoid infection. For the 1lu
is going to hit us again, and the
B amount of damage it will do depends
largely upon how we'll we prepare tor
it. This is the message of DR.. Ootto
Geier of Cincinnati, secretary OF the
American Medical Association.
Already the visitation of the most
dramatic and destructive plague OF
modern times is beginning to grow
dim in the memories of many people
and this despite the fact that there
are reminders of it everywhere. Near
" everyone has friend who is not
able to work as he did before he got
the flu. Nearly everyone who mas
travelled during the past year, ana IN
ouired for old friends, has heara
again and again the depressing words
che died of the flu"
Nearly everyone has noticed, too
the surprising number of women Win
short hair. Some of these are aftllct-
ed with artistic inclinations but most
of them gave up their crowning glory
reluctantly enough after having .tne
fin. Indeed, in some sections the 1lu
is said to have created quite vogue
for bobbed hair. .
Short hair is the least serious OF
the after affects of influenza. DOC
tor Geier says that it will add 40 per
cent more people will die than would
have died had there been no 1lu.
They will die because this strangeiy
weakening disease has sapped thelr
resistansce to other diseases.
These fearful after affects or the
fin. even more than the number OF
lives it destroys at once, make IL
national calamity which we can Ill al
ford to pass through again. Inc
country is strewn with men VINO
thought that they were in their prime
and who got over the flu only 10 flnd
that they were old and about done'
with women who can no longer De
wives or mothers since they had the
fin and with children whose growth
has been checked. One or two more
winters with such epidemics, ano the
United States will have suffered al
most as much loss of human power
as some European countries dlo
through the war.
In support of his claim that the in
fluenza epidemic will recur, DR.. Geler
cites the record Of the nearly allleo
disease of lagrippe, which appeared
in epidemic form in 1899. 1t did not
reach its peak until 1901, and two
years after that it REQUIRED an de-
stroyed thousands of lives. We have
had two other epidemics of grippe
or influenza one in 1857 and the 9TH
er in 1895, and both Of these showed
the some recurrent quality.
In the face of this literal certainty
that we will have no combat influenza
again next year, we are totally un-
prepared to do so. Medical science
knows little more about influenza to-
day than it did a year ago when the
scourge was spreading like a prairie
fire over all the world. For this reas-
h on, the doctors are making elaborate
and extensive researches into the
cause and effect Of the disease in or
der to try to be better prepared for
the next outbreak. Medical men are
hopeful of discovering specific rem
edy for the flu as was done in the
cases Of yellow fever, diptheria, and
typhus fever.
Among the medical men Of this
country making studies of the flu are
DR.. William H. Park, famous bacter-
iologist and head Of the bureau OF
laboratories of the department OF
health in New York; DR.. John F.
Anderson, former director of the hy-
, genie laboratory of the federal gov
ernment and DR.. E. L. Fisk. director
of the Life Extension Institute.
The American Medical Association
is promoting this research work. AT
its recent convention in Atlantic City
a resolution was adopted asking con-
gress to appropriate S1,5OO,OOO to
stimulate and encourage research
work. This suggestion was acted upon
the other day, when Representative
Fess of Ohio, introduced a resolution
in congress for the appropriation OF
that amount. The money is to be
turned over to the United States pub
lie health service to be used for CO.
operation in the research work that
is being carried on by the various
State health departments.
Not only are the medical men OF the
country preparing for temperance of
the disease. but civic organizations
in different communities which un-
der took to care for the numerous
victimso I the endemic year ago
are also making plans against re-
currence of the malady. These organ
izations do not intend to be caught
off their guard in the event Of an
other outbreak. and in a number of
towns throughout the United States
special committees have been appoint
ed to make preparations for Just such
an emergency. During he epidemic a
year ago. many thousands Of people
died solely for want OF care.
In his letter to Congressman Fess.
urging the federal appropriation. DR..