The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-04-23

municatiOn Of the near future, we may
predict that the next pandenic, 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 step further. A feature
of the epidemic disease Of particular
significance Is the tendency to recur,
that is, to return to 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 1913 There are very good rea.
sons for believing that in itself In.
ffuenza is not serious disease, but
that its sinister character is given By
the remarkable frequency with whic',
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
peripheral CONTROL" that is, fighting
the disease at its source rather than
waging series of campaigns against
1t after It has spread to distant GEN.
tiers. 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 were, 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
,perience with yellow fever abundantly
proves In attacking that disease, the
combat was not put off until its cpl
demic spread had begun and until new
territory, such as New Orleans, Jack
sonvilie and Memphis. had been In
vaded; but the attack was made on it,
sources at Havana, Panama and nov
Guayaquil, to which endemic points thu
extensions into new and neutral terri
ory had been traced.
More Victims Than War.
I'm proposing to strive for the higs
achievement. not merely Of parryin,
the blows struck by destructive epi
denies. but OF rendering them i'm
potent to strike in the future, we ma,
pause for moment to reflect on tn,
different ways In which peoples reac
to great calamities. such as thos,
brought by war and by disease. AS tn,
results Of cruel and devasting war
revolutions in governments supposed
the most stable may occur; no spc,
result follows on still more devastai
Ing ep'demics. The recent epideiHic O
influenza claimed. possibly. more vic
Tins than did the great war. and tn
losses to the world In emotion spent
treasure consumed. end progress i'm
peded are incalculable: yet through
fortultous circumstance OF psychol
ogy. from the one ,alamity the worl
may emerge cha,tened, perhaps eve,
bettered, while from the other, becaus
: Of depth Of ignorance amounting Of
. en- to fatallsm, mankind may larrel
. miss the deep meaning of the lesson.