The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-03
I1II[lZ|.z.':.i]III11 ].
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ARCHAEOLOGY OF INFLUENZA.

Influenza in it's epidemic form spreads with startling rapidity over enormous areas. The recent cpl demic has been an instance of this.
 Pandemic In character, whole com munities have been laid low, families wiped out by it, camps devastated and thus far, though many expert ments have been carried out with view to prophylaxis, it cannot be said that any such measure has been sue cessfuI, although 1t is too socn to make a definite statement with re- gard to what Is really Q problem in immunity. An estimate of the deaths in the recent epidemic puts them at 100000 and military estimates at SOO,0 900 for the United States.
 A number of organisms have been regarded as the possible cause for the present epidemic. That known as the bacillus of influenza or Pfeiffers 8 bacillus has been extensively isolated during past and present epidemics by experienced bacteriologists In the larger laboratories. It is an ex- ceedingly difficult organism with which to work, requiring specially trained workers and thoroughly equipped laboratory to secure good results.
 One of the most successful of the present day workers. Dr. Anna Will Hams of the Research Laboratory, | Department of Health, New York city, has isolated the bacillus from the naso-pharynx of q large number of cases and occasionally from the following pneumonias.
 The bacillus of influenza Is a hemo- >globinophie or organism which can not live without the presence of hemog.5bin, the red coloring matter of the blood. Consequently the cul- ture medium for it's cultivation must contain blood, though not necessarily human blood, nor in large quantities The organism is best obtained from the naso-pharynx by means of the West tube and Its accompanying swab which minimizes the possibility of losing the influenza bacillus by contamination with mouth organ isms, Preliminary inocUlation are made at once In broth to which a small quantity Of blood has been add ed, and these cultures are plated out on blood agar in the usual manner. The colonies are examined under the microscope and typical growths fish ed, planted and again examined microscopically. The organism is one of the smallest of the bacteria and is almost impossible to isolate without q very great deal of patience and experience in delicate bacteriolo- gtcal technique This would ac- count for the comparatively small number of workers who have been successful in isolatiDg 1t.
 Many cases of influenza have been complicated by pneumonia and in these cases the organisms most ire quently isolated have been the strep- tococcus and pneumococcus, the lat ter being the organism most ire quently found in 1obar and lobular pneumonia, though the bacillus of Friedlander has occasionally been found. The influenza bacillus has but seldom been isolated from these cases since. if present, other organ isms are apt to overgrow it.
 A vaccine composed of a number of strains of the influenza bacillus has recently been extensively used in the immunization of large groups of per- sons against influenza. It is ex- ceedingly difficult to judge of the success of this treatment since a req sonable period of time. as yet undo termined. must elapse before results ] can be said to be established.
 
 work on the hacteriology of influenza cannot yet be estimated, but it is safe to say tn" since every piece of re- search work has some practical value negative if not positive, the work or influenza. when done inteIligently cannot fail to add to our genera knowledge of a still somewhat ob- scure subject, and consequently aid in the com atting of possible future epidemics.