The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-01-10
INFLUENZA

was brought here from Valencia,
Spain. Since that time there. have
been numerous epidemics OF the dis
ease In 1889 and 1890 an epidemic
Of influenza, starting somewhere In the
Orient, spread hrst to Russia and
thence over practically the entire civ
ilized world. Three years later there
was another fare-up of the disease.
Both times the epidemic spread wide
~ over the United States.
Although the present epidemic II
called Spanish Influenza there Ia ~
reason TO believe that 1t originated IL |
Spain. Some writer's who have studied
the question believe that the epidemSs
came from the Orient and they call ass
tendon to the fact that the Germane
mention the disease as occurring along |
the eastern front in the summer and
fall of 1917"
How can "spanlsh Influenza" be res
oanixed7
There Ia as yet no certain way in
| which single case of Spanish infiu-
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
1 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
(feyer, pain, depression) are by no
means as severe or as sudden in their
onset as they are I'm influenza. Final
ly, ordinary colds do not spread
through the community so rapidly or
so extensively as does influenza.
sin 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 vomit Most OF the pa
tents complain of feeling chilly, and
with this comes fever in which the
temperature rises to 100 to 104. In
most cases the pulse remains relative
ly 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
S there may be some cough. These signs
t OF cold may not be marked; never
j, theIess the patient looks and feels very
= sick.
Sin addition to the appearance and
the symptoms as already described,
!, examination of the patients blood may
Z aid the physician in recognizing Span.
ish Influenza Tor 1t has been found
that In this disease the number OF
white corpuscles shows little or no in
;. crease above the normal. 1t is posi-
y BILE that the laboratory investigations
: now being made through the National
Research Council and the United
States Hygienlc Laboratory will fur
nish a more certain way in which indl'
If vidual cases of this disease can be
,e recognized"
What is the eeurss OF the diseased
e 4 % people die Of III
= Ordinarily, the fever lasts from
0f ~ AONE QA1 anu RGlA~AN -
Z. covers. But while the proportion O
ct deaths In the present epidemic ha'
generally been low, in some places th'
i'd outbreak has been severe and deaths
! have been numerous. When death oc
ar ours it ia usually the result of com
~ plicatien."
r. What causes ssss disease and how
Irt II spread?
he "Bacteriolosists who have studied 10
ny auenza epIdemics In the past nav
ne found in many of the cases a YER
ne Small rod-shaped germ called, after II
% discoyerer. Pfeifrers bacillus In othe
he cases of apparently the same KIND
,or disease there were found pneumococc
,ks the germs OF lobar pneumonia. SD
,er others have been caused by strept
da cocci, and by others germs with lon
Iii names.
lys sNo matter what particular kind
IN germ causes the epidemic. II is no
believed that influenza is alWa,
'te. spread from person to person, u
-oe germs being carried with the air aloI
with the very small droplets of mucu
expelled by coughing or sneezin
no. forceful talking. and the like by o.
dia who already has the germs OF the a
ease. They may also be carried abo
OF In the air In the form OF dust eomil
from dried mucus, from coughing al
ur- sneesing, or from careless people ".
ats spit ON the floor and on the sidewal
AS in most other catching diseases,
'o person who has only mild attack
he the disease himself may give a We
of severe attack TO others"
ate What should be done by these "
a .au catch the disease?
day ut is very important that every p
tie. son who becomes sick with infuen
,dia should go home at once and go TO b.
her This will heap keep away dangerC
arty complications and will, at the sa
the .,,,xa boar, fha naf ienf from Scatteri