The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1920-05-21

munication of the near future, we may
predict that the next pandemic, should
one arise, will extend with the swift
ness of an airship.
Moreover, not only is this rate of
spread determined by the nature of
the transportation facilities of the re-
gion or the era, but towns and villages.
mainland and island, are invaded early
or late or preserved entirely from
attack according as they lie within
or without the avenues of approach or
are protected by inaccessibility, as in
Instances of remote mountain settle
ments and of islands distant from
ocean lanes or frozen in during winter
periods.
To Avert occurrences.
1T is desirable, in the interest of
clear thinking, to carry this considera-
ton of the characteristics of epidemic
Influenza a step further. A feature
of the epidemic disease of particular
significance is the tendency to recur.
that Is. to return to n stricken region
after an interval, usually of months of
relative quiescence.
"Thus the beginning of the last pan
demic in Europe and the United States
has been traced to sporadic cases ap-
pearing in April. May and June, pos
sibly even earlier in certain places,
| while the destructive epidemic ragged
during September October and Novem-
Der of 1918. There are very good rea-
sons for believing that in itself in
fluenza is not serious disease, but
that its sinister character is given by
the remarkable frequency with which
1t is followed. under particular circum-
stances by cOncomitant or secondary
pneumonia infection to which the Sc
we're effects and high mortality are
! traceable."
The manner in which to fight dis
eases of this nature is, according to Dr.
Flexner, one of central rather than
I peripheraI control" that is, fighting
the disease at it's source rather than
waging series of campaigns against
1t after it has spread to distant CEN
ters. To quote:
according to this proposal, an eff
fort at control amounting even to even
tual eradication of the diseases in the
regions of their endemic survival would
be undertaken. an effort, indeed, not
occasional and intensively spasmodic,
as during the pandemic excursions
but continuous over relatively long
periods. in the hope that the seed
beds. as it We're. of the disease might
be destroyed
THAT such an effort at the eradica-
ton of serious epidemic disease NAV
be carried through successfully, the ex-
perlence with yellow fever abundantly
proves. In attacking that disease. the
combat was not put off until its epI-
demic spread had begun and until new
territory. such as New Orleans, Jack
sonville and Memphis. had been in
Vaded; but the attack was made on IFS
sources at. Havana. Panama and now
Guayaquil, to which endemic points tbe
extensions into new and neutro, terri
DRY had been traced
More Victims Than War.
I'm proposing to strive for the high
achievement not merely of parryinp
the blows struck by destructive epi
denies, but of rendering them i'm
potent to strike in the future, we NAV
pause for moment TO reflect on the
different ways in which peoples react
to great calamities, such as those
brought by war and by disease, As the
results of cruel and devasting war
revolutions in governments supposed
the most stable may occur: no sucb
result follows on still more deyastat.
ing epidemics. The recent epidemic of
influenza claimed. possibly. more vic
tins than did the great war and tho
losses to the world in emotion spept
treasure consumed, and progress i'm.
peded are incalculable; vet. tbroupb
il fortuitous circumstance of psvchol.
ogy. from the one calamity the world
may emerge chastened. PERTAINS even
bettered, while from the other, becanso
of depth of ignorance amounting Off.
en- to fatalism, mankind NAV larpa,v
miss the deep meaning of the lesson "