Salt Lake Telegram | 1940-03-02 | Page 6 | Advice on Your Health

Advice on Your Health By Morris Fishbein, Editor, Journal American Medical Auocietion More and more, among groups of physicians, one hears whisperings whisper-ings of the likelihood thst next year, or the yesr after, there may be another outbreak of the influenza which devastated the world in 1918. The history of msnklnd seems to indicate that such epidemics recur at intervale of about 23 years. Unfortunately, the causative organism for thst particular type of Influenza has not been definitely def-initely established. The general Impression Is that the condition Is caused by a virus, which is sn-other sn-other name for a living poison. The border thst separates the ordinary cold from Influenza is not clearly defined. Colds occur In epidemics, the same as does influenza. There is no simple test of the secretions from the nose or throat that proves definitely, def-initely, to the doctor, thst the condition is either a common cold or Influenza. Examination of the blood cells does not yield positive information. The experienced doctor recognizes recog-nizes that in Influenza the patient gels sick first and the cough and cold will come a little later. In an ordinary cold, the nose begins running first and the sickness develops somewhat later. In general, the person with Influenza In-fluenza suddenly suffers aching Joints, fever and IHness. He feels drowsy, his eyes glisten and become red; later there Is a cough. The fever is high for two or three days and then declines. Should there be a secondary Infection In-fection with pneumonia, however, how-ever, or an infectioi of the ears, the fever will continue and the illness become worse. At present there Is no serum that can be given to control influenza. in-fluenza. There is no certainty that any of the new sulfanilamide drugs will help. .Doctors, therefore, there-fore, usually tell people to go to bed. They give plenty of hot drinks and apply hot water bags for the aching Joints. In more severe cases, it may be necessary neces-sary to induce sleep with strong sedstivea or narcotics. It Is Important that the patient should drink plenty of fluids snd thst sugar should be supplied to overcome the loss through fever. When the patient with influenza realizes that he Is sick snd goes to bed promptly, he is likely to recover promptly.