The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-20
ARE PREPARING
FOR INFLUENZA

DR.. J. A. Hayne. State health officer,
says that very soon plans will have
been finished to meet any emergency
should there be an epidemic Of in
f1uenza in this or any Of the Southern II
States.
At a recent meeting of the State
Health officers, DR.. Enlion G. Will
litms, 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. We're appointed a
committee to prepare plans to com
bat any epidemic of influenza should
such occur.
All physicians ready for service VIII
be enrolled and so will the trained
nurses and those who have taken Red
Cross training When the plans are
complete they will be filed for imrne-
diate use.
Dr. Haynes says that the state is not
now free from influenza. Three cases
have been reported from Abbeville
county in the last month and one or
two other cases have been reported.
DR.. Hayne. when asked what pre-
ventive measures should be taken, said
that the people could judge OF that
wnen they understood that influenza
was what is known as a spray borne
disease. 1t is spread by exhalatlons
Of the breath. AS explained by him.
in breathing. person makes minute
eXhalations to the distance of about
FIVE feet These eXhalationS when to-
ken into the lungs of others cause iu-
fection Persons should be careful to
sneeZe into their handk2rchiefS and II
coughing should cover their mouths.
Protection from Influenza may be had
only therefore in saying away from
crowded assemhlag IS, and in the use
OF proper gargles and sprays.
In his address 10 the South Caro-
Ira Medical Association, DR.. HaSne
said:
Il do not know chat we are much
better off than the italians were lr
the 18th century, who ascribe in
fluenza to the influence Of the stars
It is also tasctihed to earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions. 1t has ap-
pcared at sea far away from COM
m1nication with land. This occurred
to Admiral Richard kempenfelt. we
note also being epiGemicS. one in lSa
which lasted about eight years and
another one in 1880 and it seems TO
prevail independents OF climate. sea-
son or weather. 1t t.es nothing to DO
10
specific fever Of unknown origin.
DR.. J. Heyward Gibbs. in u paper
printed in the Journal Of the South
Carolina Medical Association, says:
"One would think that in approx
m;ltely 400 years the lay mind would
have been robbed Of some OF It's nlEs-
titcation and superstition associat-
ed with the outbreaks Of intuenZ;'
and that the medical profession would
be unfailins IN its recognition and
somewhat proficient in its control
But such distinction cannot be Justly
claimed The very term Influenza
implies ignorance and fcap' being sim
ply the Italian equivalent for influence
and the same may be sad OF t'ie
French designation Of nc disease. II
grippe. Peculiar atmospheric condi-
tons. meteorologic ard tellu@:c infu-
.nceS and the idea Of :: proVidcntiai
:.rfliction upon n wicked world. wh!c::
represent the eropin@.S eNl,!a:i:. toI'y ci-
forts OF previous centuries have give!
place TO thoughts of :; poison diSSeii'-
mated by German actiNili"s. ana l"afS
Of = Worldwide epidemic Of bGbonlc
plague in our 10Th century The rec
orGS OF our army comps and out bu-
reaus Of vital statistics too plainly eS-
ia hlish the fat:lity Of Our efforts oi
control"