Show Daily Health Servi Service e Flu Epidemics Come in in Year 25 ar Waves By DR MORRIS FISHBEIN 1 A study of the history of at past Influenza In In- epidemics reveals that the disease s seems ems to come in cycles or waves In fact scientists today believe that some of the epidemics or plagues described de dc- scribed before accurate scientific medicine developed actually were of the same character as the influenza of today For example the English sweats of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries cen the epidemics of fever that swept the continent of Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and the epidemics described as asden den dengue gue gut may have been and probably were similar to epidemic Influenza Apparently y the length of time that any epidemic of Influenza stays with witha a community depends on the number of people susceptible to the disease Just as soon as 35 that number has had bad the disease and recovered the thc epidemic epi epi- epi demic disappears and recurs when a anew anew anew new group of develops among the thc population e I Waves of measles also occur in rhythmic manner due to susceptible persons who develop the disease and then recover The disease then d disappears disappears p pears until a new group of d develops and this apparently requires a certain definite interval One first influenza epidemics recorded was WM in 1411 Another occurred oc on- in 1510 and there are ac nc- accounts accounts counts ol ot what might have been in in- in records dating to B. B BC B.C. C. C and B. B C. C and again in Rome in 43 B. B C. C The great epidemic which swept the world in 1918 is noted especially because of the fatality to women about to give birth to children An epidemic which occurred in 1173 and another in A. 1307 D D. also were fatal atal in the same way The next series of epidemics are listed as occurring in 1403 1413 1427 1510 1529 1551 and 1580 C. C Notice that these epidemics occur for tor the most part in cycles of about abouL 25 to 30 years Moreover the epidemic epidemic epi epi- demic which occurred in 1510 also was noted for its terrific mortality among pregnant women After the epidemic of 1580 there were numerous cases of in inflammation of the brain similar to our modern modem cases of encephalitis or sleeping sick sick- ness These were observed again in 1712 and similar cases followed the 1918 epidemic Following a great epidemic of Influenza Influenza In In- there usually is a consider consider- abe amount of sickness of other types due to the fact that the human body is weakened so greatly by the attack attack attack at at- tack that it becomes susceptible to other disturbances The best advice therefore that can be given to anyone who has suffered fro from In influenza is to make certain of a along along al long rest and a protracted period of ol convalescence before undertaking serious sera ser ious bus work or exercise or submitting to an any unusual exposure I |