The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-17

year one out Of every I'VE men would
have died. Thus, in Mr.. HUNTER's
words, III the epidemic had continued
in camp for two months and the
annual rate Of admission to the hos
pital for treatment for Influenza had
been 90 per cent. Of the men, then the
percentage Of soldiers and sailors ac-
tually under treatment would have
been one-sixth, or 10 per cent" Mr..
HUNTERS investigations indicated to
him that one out Of FIVE men in camps
was attacked by influenza.
In some cities tho greater proper
ton of deaths was ascribed to infiu-
enza, In others to pneumonia. In San
Francisco six deaths were set down
20 influenza against one to pneumo-
MIA; in indianapolis these figures
were reversed. For the six months
ended December n the Surgeon Gen
erai announced 21,376 deaths from
pneumonia to 1,131 from Influenza.
Assuming that the fatal cases Of pneu-
monia were due principally to the
epidemic-Mr HrNTyn says the usual
form Of pneumonia "causes relatively
few deaths among young men"--this
presents a markedly different rela-
tionship OF deaths from influenza to
those from pneumonia than that
found in the cities" That there are
differences IN methods Of classlfica-
ton must be borne in mind, and these
differences, in Mr.. HUNTERS opinion,
make comparisons among the figures
Of various life insurance companies
Improbable.
Incomplete data for the epidemic
Of 1Se0-93 render 1t impossible to
make any exact comparison between
the visitation Of those years and that
we are now suffering. But the figures
Of the New York city Board Of Health
indicate the death rate for the for
mer epidemic was about half that OF
the present one. Mr.. HuNTEs finds
| nothing to support the theory that
non drinkers we're less severely at
tackled by the Influenza than drink
ers were:
some or the newspapers have re-
Gently stated that abstainers have suf-
fered more from infiuensa than non-ab-
stsiners. but cannot end any proof OF
this A study Of the death rates IN the
wet ana In the dry cities does not
Justify that statement nor DO the more
accurate studiAs OF the death rate In
life insurance companies.
"Dr. BaANpRETH sYAoNDs, Chief Med
ieai Director of the Mutual Life Insur-
ance Company. has recently stated that
total abstainsrs have had q lower NOR
tAlity from influenza than the other
policy holders. but that total abstinence
does not seem 10 have been any material
help in preventing q vital termination "a
Influenza at any age. AS he also de-
cides that a daily use OF alcohol not to
excess did not increase the death rate
from influenza. we may assume that he
ala not fnd any marked difference bl
tween abstainers and -abstainers.
Mr.. HENRY NOR, president Of the
Actuarial Society of America, has alsc
stated that tho statistics do not give
any definite indication that the use o.
alcohol in moderation is either beneficial
or Objectionable so far as influenza II
concerned
Apparently the epidemic had caused
in the United States five times al
many deaths as resulted from al
causes, including disease and count
ing all missing as dead among oul
troops in Europe; and even now The
full toll taken by the disease canno
be calculated. as 1t is still claiming
victims and Its after effects have MOI
been made manifest.