The Alaska daily empire., 1920-02-06
COMMON SENSE METHODS BEST
 TO FIGHT FLU
Dr. Sloane Quotes Recognized Authority on Malady, in
 Issuing Statement

influenza or prevent US contraction bv nersons exposed, Dr. L. O. Sloane Territorial commissioner of healtl said this morning. discussing the pos sibility that Ketchikan's epidemic might spread to Juneau.
 He quoted from report on influ enza issued by Dr. s. L. Burton, { physician of Albuquerque, N. M., al authority on the flu, in support 0 i his method of treating patients. "The most important Npart of th' treatment" said Dr. Sloane. is i'm mediately after the disease Mas beer discovered. "The patient must avoit exposure to draughts from window! and doors. Keep the room in uniform temperature and the sicl well covered to prevent the leas tendency to chilling the body. Per init bathing only when very necess ary for cleansing purposes" A timely discussion of influenza ii contained in the following article b, Dr. Burton, pronounced by doctor: all over the United States to be al extraordinarily comprehensive treat ise on the dreaded plague:
 History of the Disease-The frs record of influenza was registered 412 B. C., and history reveals severa epidemics of the disease during eacl century since that time, and I have no doubt that influenza will return at intervals in epidemic form unti the end of time.
 Symptoms Invasion sudden; mark ed prostraton from the beginning period of incubation 24 to 4S hours temperature ranging from 100 in the mild to 105 in the severe cases, chills cough. conjunctivitis, nose bleed, in somnia pain in the head, bones and muscles.
 Cause of lnfIuenza-The bacillus causing the disease has not been is plated, but many bacillus are associ ated with it, such as the strepticoci pneumococi and influenza bacilli Contributing cause, 10 wtempera
 
 enza. The disease spreads over tho country along the line of travel first attacking the population of the cities, and later inhabitants of the rural districts. It is my observation that the bacilli disappear before oi by the time the patient recovers, and is not active after the sickness has continued four or five days. This would establish the infection period to the early part of the attack. Also to contract influenza, the victim must be in close proximity to the infected
 ''Immunity-None of the cases treated during the past epidemic suffered a return of the disease, and I believe that persons at the agt of forty and over, who for some req son were immune in the 1919 epidem ic, had previously been the victims of influenza
 "Diagnosis diagnosis is easy during an epidemic but difficult il intervals between epidemics. During the later period many mistakes are made in diagnosis. The complica tions are bronchitis. sore throat weakened heart muscles and pneu monia. The latter complication never develops unless the patient is exposed
 Much has been written in the med ical journals concerning mild influ enza during September, March ant April. The thought is, why is the disease mild at this time of the year It is because of the near approach tt summer heat. If this is fact, use summer heat in the treatment of the disease during the fall and winter Such heat may be secured by the or hot water Also it is not rationa to treat patient in the open wht has lowered resistance due to pros tration, exhaustion and body fatigue by influenza, and still further lowe the resistance of the patient to the unknown and various flora that ac company the disease and which mul tiply so rapidly under the condition. but are almost eliminated by summer heat
 ''vaccination-I had very little ex perience in vaccinating persons > who had not been exposed to influenza only used it for members of tho family who were exposed, and so fal as I was able to detect l do not be lieve the vaccination protected { single person from contracting the disease. I vaccinated all members oI the family except small children a. soon as a diagnosis was made. I per sisted in the use of vaccine because the patient usually showed an i'm provement within 24 hours after Its use, and persons who were vaccin ated ran a milder course than those who refused.
 reatment-Influenza treated ir we'll ventilated rooms. at uniform temperature of 70 degrees Fahren heit, will not develop pneumonia. 1r room kept<at this temperature the influenza baccilus is cl.nically des troyed, or influenced by temperature to the extent that it will not infect the nurse or persons who may be ex posed fo fhe germs of tho natiapt