| Show U S public health service issues official health ballatin Bul latin on influenza LATEST WORD ON SUBJECT epidemic probably not spanish in origin germ still unknown peo pie should guard against droplet infection surgeon general blue makes authoritative statement washington D 0 special aa though ang aiphonso of spain was one of the victims of the influenza cepl in 1801 and again this summer spanish authorities repudiate any claim to influenza as a als case it the people of this country jo not take care the epidemic will become so widespread throughout the united states that soon we shall hear the disease called american influenza in re to a request for definite inform alon concerning influx enza surgeon general blue of the U S public health service lias authorized the following interview what Is spanish influenza Is it new does it come from spain the disease now occurring in this country and called spanish influent za resembles a very contagious kind of cold accompanied by fever pains coughs and sneezes spread diseases As dangerous as poison s shells in the head eyes ears back or other parts of the body and a feeling of severe sickness in most of the cases the symptoms disappear after three or four days the patient then rapidly recover ing some of the patients however develop pneumonia or inflammation of the ear or meningitis and many of these complicated cases die whether so called spanish influenza Is identical with the epidemics of influent ea of earlier years Is not yet known epidemics of influenza have visited this country since it Is interest ing to know that this first epidemic was brought here from valencia spain since that time there bava been numerous epidemics of the als case in and 1590 an epidemic of influenza starting somewhere in the orient spread first to Russia and thence over practically the entire civilized world three years later there was another flare up of the disease both times the epidemic spread wide ly over the united states although the present epidemic Is called spanish influenza there Is no reason to believe that it originated in spain some w who have studied the question believe that the epidemic came from the orient and they call at to the fact that the germans mention the disease as occurring along the eastern front in the summer and fall of 1917 how can spanish influenza be recognized zed there Is ns yet no certain way in which a single case of spanish influx ena can be recognized on the oth er hand recognition Is easy where there la a group of cases in contrast to the outbreaks of ordinary end colds which usually occur in the cold months epidemics of may occur at adv mason M ason of the year thus the present epidemic raged most intensely in europe in may june and july Moi cover in the case of erdl colds the general symptoms fever biln depression are by no means ns severe or ps sudden jn their onset as they are in influenza I 1 inal ly ordinary colds do not spread abe community so rapidly or BO extensively as does influenza in most cases a person taken sick with influenza feels sick rather sud denly lie feels weak has pains in the eves ears head or back and may be tore all over many patients fed some vomit most of the pa complain of feeling chilly and with this comes a fever in walh the temperature rises to to in most cases the pulse remains relatively slow in appearance 06 I 1 struck bv the fact that the patient looks slik ills fies and the inner side of his amny be slightly bloodshot or con tedas the doctors say there ma be running from the noe or there may be some cough these signs of a cold may not be marked nevertheless the patient looks and feels very alck in addition to the appearance and the symptoms ns already described examination of the patient s blood mav aid he in recognizing span lb influenza tuf U hae bem found f f in rt i cm T T that in this disease the number ot wl ite corpuscles corpus cles shows little or no in create above the it Is bosil lie hat the labon tory investigations now being made through the research council and the united states hygienic laboratory will furnish n iloie certain way in which individual cases of this disease can be recognized what Is course of the disease do people die of it the fever lasts from three to four diva and the patient recovers but while the proportion of in the present epidemic haa generally been low in some places the outbreak lias been severe and deal in lave been numerous when death occurs it Is usually the result of n corn what causes the disease and how Is it spread bacteriologists who have studied in aluena epidemics in the have found in many of the cases a very rod sloped garro called after ita discoverer 5 bacillus in other cases of the sime kind of disease there were found the germs of lobar pneumonia still others have been caused b streptococci and by others germs with long names S matter what particular kind of perm causes the epidemic it Js now believed that Is alwaes spread from person to person the germs being carried with the air along with he verj small droplets of mucus expelled by couching or sneezing forceful talking and the ahle by one who already has the germa of the als ease they may also be carried about in the clr in the form of dust colln from dried mucus from coughing and sneezing or from careless people who spit on the floor and on the sidewalk As in most other catching diseases a person who has only a mild attack of the disease himself may give a very severe attack to others what should be done by those who catch the disease it Is very important that every person who becomes sick with influenza should go home at once and go to bed this will help keep away dangerous complications and will at the same time keep the patient from scattering the disease far and wide it Is highly desirable tint no one be allowed to sleep in the same room with the patient in fact no one but the nuree should be allowed in the room if there Is cough and sputum or running of the eyes and nose care should be taken that all such als charges are collected on bits of gauze or rag or paper napkins and burned it the patient complains of fever and headache he should be given water to drink a cold compress to the forehead and a light sponge only such cine should be given as Is prescribed by the doctor it Is foolish to ask alie druggist to prescribe and may be dan berous to take the so called safe sure and harmless remedies advertised by patent medicine manufacturers i it the patient Is ao situated that he can be attended only by some one who must also look after others in the fain lly it Is advisable that such attendant wear a wrapper apron or gown over the ordinary house clothes while in the sick room and slip this off when leaving to look after the others nurses and attendants will do well to guard against breathing in daniger ous disease germs by wearing a simple fold of gauze or mask while near the patient will a person who has had influenza before catch the again it Is well known that an attack of measles or scarlet fever or smallpox usually protects a person against an other attack of the same disease this appears not to be true of in flu enza according to newspaper rei ports the king of spain suffered an attack of influenza during the cepl thirty veara ago and was again stricken during the recent outbreak in spain how can one ei ard against influx enza in guarding against disease of all kinds it Is important that the body be kept and able to fifelie off disease germs ahls can be done bv 1 av ing a proper proportion of work play and rest by keeping the body well clothed and by eating wholesome and properly selected food in connection with diet it Is well to remember tint milk Is one of the best all around foods for adults as well as children bo far as a als casc like influenza everywhere recognize the very clot relation between its spread and overcrowded homes valte it Is not always possible especially in times alse the to avoid such dani people should consider the health danger and effort to reduce the home overcrowd ang to a minimum the value af fresh air through open windows cannot be over hen crowding Is unavoidable as in street cars caie should be tal en to keep the face so turned as not to in hale directly the air breathed out by another person it Is especially important to be waie of the poison icho congha or sneezes without covering his and nose it also follows that one should keep out of crowds and as enuch as possible kaei keei homes offices und workshops shops well air ed spend borne time out of doors each day walk to if at all in clort anko every possible to breathe as much pure air as DOS elble in all health matters follow the ad vice of your doctor and obey the latsons of your local and state health officers cover up each cough and sneeze you dont you II 11 |
