The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-08-21
PREPARE TO FIGHT
DREAD INFLUENZA.
Physicians Unable to Control Disease.

DR.. J. A. Hayne, State Health Of
ficer, says that very soon plans Will
have been finished to meet any emer
gency should there be an epidmic
of influenza in this or any OF the
Southern States.
At a recent meeting of the State
health officers DR.. Ennioh G. VII
liams, State commissioner of health
of Virginia, DR.. w. S. Rankin, State
health officer Of North Carolina and
DR.. ]. A. Hayne, State health officer
of South Carolina, were appointed a
committee to prepare plans to combat
any epidemic of influenza should
such occur.
All physicians ready for service will
be enrolled and so will be the trained
nurses and those who have taken Rec
Cross training. When the plans are
complete they will be filed for imme-
diate use.
DR.. Hayne says that the State is
not now free from influenza. Three
cases have been reported from Able
vile County in the last month, and
one or two other cases have been re-
ported. .,..- 49, - .sFlT
DR.. Hayne, when asked what pre-
yentive measures should be taken,
said that the people could judge o.
that when they understood that in
fluenza was what is known as a
'spray bone" disease. 1t is spread by
exhalations in the breath. AS ex-
planned by him in breathing a person
makes minute exhalations to the dis
tance of about five feet. These ex-
halations when taken into the lungs
of others cause infection. Persons
should be careful to sneeze into their
handkerchiefs and in coughing should
cover their mouths. Protection from
influenza may be had onl therefore
in staying away from crowued assem-
blages, and in the use of proper gar
giles and sprays.
In his address to the South Caro-
lima Medical Association, DR.. Hayne|
said:
81 do not know that we are much
better off than the Italians were in
the 18th century, who ascribed in
fluenza to the influence of the stars.
1t is also ascribed to earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions. 1t has ap-
peared at sea far away from COM
munications with land. This occurred
tn Admiral Richard Kempenfelt. We
note also being epidemics, one in 1847
which lasted about eight years, and
another one in 1890, and it seems to
prevail Independently of climate, sea-
son or weather. 1t has nothing to do
with a bad cold, but is an acute
specific fever of unknown origin"
DR.. j. Hayward Gibbs in a paper
printed in The Journal of the South
Carolina Medical Association says:
Zone would think that in approx
mately 400 years the lay mind would
have been robbed of some OF its mys
tification and superstitution asso-
ciated with the outbreaks of influen-
"a and that the medical profession
would be unfailing in its recognition
and somewhat proficient in its con-
troll. But such distinction can not be
justly claimed. The very term influ-
enza' implies ignorance and fear be-
ing simply the Italian equivalent for
influence; and the same may be said
of the French designation of the dis
ease, lagrippe. Peculiar atmospheric,
conditions, meteoroligic and tellugic
influences and the idea of a providen
tial affliction upon wicked world,
which represent the groupings explain
atory efforts of previous centuries
have given place to thought OF
poison disseminated by German ac-
tivities, and fears of worldwide
epidemic of a bubonic plague in cur
Goth century. The records of our army
camps and our bureaus Of vital sta
tistics too plainly establish the futil-
ity of our efforts of control.-The
State.