Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-12-29
CAUSE OF INFLUENZA
DECLARED UNKNOWN
Still Remains an Unsolvsd
Problem, Says Highest
Medical Authority.

Commenting cditorially on a review
o. medical knowledge concerning the
csu~ ~ influenza written by DIR. Hans
xln-ser. visiting hactcriclogist to Pres
h,tcrlan Hospital In this city. The
Journal 81 the American Medical As
socistion asserts that "ths cause OF
IN. disease stlil remains an unsolvcd
problem" DIR Zins-cr In his review
d'Votcs special attention 90 the rela-
ton ~ the Influenza bacillus 10 the
disease tho name Of which II hears
and. In fact apparently inclines TO the
thsory that this germ IL actually the
caus. OF the mslady.
"Hins-cr defines influenza az \ mild
fever 81 "A few DAYS. says the writer.
With sudden onset. characteristics
pains In the head. back and limbs, and
srsst prostrsiion. slight sore throat.
mild bronchitis and coniunciival in
lection may he either primary or
secondary. This 10 tho form In which
influenza makes it, first appearance
,s such. and free from complications.
u causes few deaths and to find the
Csus. ~ this haste disease which may
be followed by highly dangerous sec
oni,ry respiratory infections. Ia the
etioiosic problem OF influenza.
TN favor - regarding the influenza
bacillus a. the essential cause. kins-
scr mentions its frequent isolation
from eaxly and simple cases; the fire.
auencv ~ u- presence IN compiled
tions. both early and late. and its pc
cullar distribution IN the bronchi In
fatal cases. IT, wide distribution
among the population az tho time Of
Influenza epidemfrs followed by
gradual dimlnuiion ~ they rubslde
and. nually. the fact. recently an
rounced. that the influenza hacilr can
product polsons potent enough 20 eS-
plain tho symptoms
AGAINST regarding the inruenzs IA
cillur os IA. primary cause % !nnuen-
~. Ilneser placc- the frequent failure
90 nnd 20 IN tho early stages ~ the
ttscase. ft- presence In healthy per
cons and an patients with other disea-
ses thsh influenza. notably measles.
~ Which 4 mSy 10 found IN 80 many
ns 60 per cent. 81 tho casa: its oc>,Ir-
renee sccnrs'ing - scr o Observers. IN
prui gloue number ~ distinc;
strains with different antigenic prnp-
critics. On otto, rNation. inviting furthcs
study. that does not harmonic well
With the idea of tho hacillus being tho
caus- % a specinc disease. and. finally.
tho failure % human iu.cIlations with
influenza bacilu 10 produce reactions
Inv that ~ epidemic Influenza. ~ we'll
a the failure 81 infections - vaccfpes
. no hacu - rro;cc; against infiu-
cnya
Addnd 90 these c0nsi,~-atione n the
further s.irsumstany~, that several -
porte have been made os the proa,c-
t''n in hlnlan beings q, influenza
Ike Diseases vrth apparently bacteria
free nltrnt.e 90 materials from tho
respiratory trac; q, influenza patients
And here Il may ~ pointed ont. too
that aiWOst che came kind ~ state
mrni 80 this N regard ~ the influenza
h1ci'lus could ~ made frr and as-,ins.
fhe etioloFsc relationship - infuenza
% sfreptooocci. sspcc allv ~ The viri
Jams grrir. which some might think
= nsrer has neglected
In our editorial discussion 81 .n-
ru.nzs no the time % the 1918 epidem
e I; var maintained that the :nf,u.
enra bacillus had not been shown % n
the cause % influenza. and that whole
sale injections % vacc.ne~ % shIs boril-
Ia For the purpose q prevention were
ro' warranted. The correctness 81 this
Nfcw a upheld by the sur~eouens de
vr'opnents now summarized by Zin-.
80 whose primary ,riendliner< 20 IN,
cause ~ The influenza bacillus - OBJ.
Vio's
The caii-e ~ Influenza s;ill remains
o. uu~nlVed problem. In view ~ IN.
ease WITH which complicating organ.
isms Ike the influenza haciln ant
strcpiooscci gain fcotholi apparently
eimos; 40 early az when .ntes ton SET.
IN. the hop- q, solution % this etio,
logic problem Ice N the study q, adj
le-cent epidemic. rather than ~ ep!
oemicr already IN fuil SWING"