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INFLUENZA AT HOME AND ABROAD.The Local Government board is collecting information, through its medical department, concerning the epidemic of influenza, and is endeavouring to elucidate the unsettled questions relating to the causation of this disease. Dr. Franklin Parsons, Medical Inspector of the Local Government hoard, to wham this inquiry has been deputed, writes to the British Medical Journal, asking for information on the following points from medical practitioners :—1. The dates of the earliest occurrence in their respective localities or practices of cases of influenza presenting distinctive characters (among which I may especially mention -marked nervous depression, out of proportion to the gravity of the catarrhal or other local symptoms, and not infrequently commencing suddenly), or of such as were tne precursors of an extended prevalence of similar cases.2. Cases illustrating the introduction of the disease by importation from elsewhere, ae from abroad, from other localities, or in the case of institutions from outside; or showing its mode of propagation among persons and animals, by infection or otherwise ; or, on the other hand, eases in which its origin in imported infection could apparently be excluded—for example, in ships at sea.3. Cases in which the length of the incubation period of the disease could be fixed.Dr. Powell, the senior house physician at Westminster hospital, has stated that he does not find, as a rule, that patients are stricken down with, the disease. In only a few oases the- onset is sudden, the patient being prostrated in a few hours. Patients do not often seek advice before theseoond or third day of the actual attack, believing the malady to be an ordinary cold, The ohief symptoms of influenza are frontal headache, with heaviness over the eyes, pains in the back and limbs, great prostration, nausea, aud often vomiting. Shivering is always present, and continue- off and on for several days in the severer oases. There are muscular pains in the chest and abdomen, and almost invariably bronchial irritation. Rarely the malady takes the form of gastro-intestinal catarrh, as evidenced by vomiting and diarrhcBa. Sneezing at the oneet is very common, but corysa is rare. Temperature ranges between 101 and 103 and occasionally rises to 103, or even higher. The throat is in the majority of cases congested, ton-eilitie being well marked in a few, Suffusion of the eye is seldom absent, often with dimness of ■ vision, ohotophobia and slight conjunctivities. The bronchial irritation in many cases became well-marked bronchitis, and in some instances pleuritic sounds have been heard where there has been severe pain in the side experienced by the sufferer. Feverishness in pronounced cases lasts about a week,more especially in those patients who do not lie up. During the whole of this period siiivering and nausea are very common symptoms. Convalescence is much protracted by persistent anorexia. Recovery is gradual. The statement that the disease attacks principally the male population is, Dr. Powell says, erroneous. He finds that at Westminster hospital nearly as many women as men present themselves. Thd ages range from 15 , to 40.” He is of opinion that the disease is not infectious in the usual sense, but olimaiic. As to treatment, the great point is, adds the doctor, to keep in bed and take good fluid nourishment, for drugs will be found to be of little value. He found . that qninine and antipyrine failed to reduce fever, ; though the latter drug occasionally relieved the in- ' tense headache.Entertainments and prize distributions in con- , nectiou with Board and other sohools have been postponed in various neighbourhoods, and the guardians of some of the unions have stopped, for a time, the leave of absence ordinarily granted to the workhouse inmates.The various sick benefit societies of the metropolis last week were subject to an extra-«rdinary strain. Many of the- courts and lodges of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows and the Ancient Order of Forestars have nine, 10, and even a larger percentage of their total membership upon the funds, which will necessitate a heavy drain upon their reserves. At Romford some cycle works have been temporarily closed owing to a large proportion of the bands being incapacitated.Mr. Balfour has so far recovered from the attack of influenza that he was able to visit Dublin Castle on Wednesday and to receive two deputations.The extent of the epidemic amongst the troops in the Home district and the metropolis wag stated on Wednesday to have Btill further diminished. At the same time there is a large amount of sickness amongst the Household troops, the complaints relating chiefly to bronchial affections and a ser-gear ? of the Grenadiers died in hospital on Wednesday.The Rev. Dr. Talmage, the American preacher, is prostrated by the influenza, epidemic at Paris, and is compelled to abandon his proposed sermons in London this Sunday, and elsewhere next week.According to the Registrar General’s returns the deaths primarily attributed to influenza in Loudon, which had been four in the previous week, rose last week (excluding cases in which influenza was stated only as a “ secondary ” cause) to 67. .The deaths, however, referred to diseases of the respiratory organs, which had been 518, 467 and 843 in the three preceding weeks, further rose last week to 1,069, and exceeded the corrected average by 522Several jurors summoned to attend at the City coroner’s court, on Saturday, upon an inquest, sent excuses to the effect that they were suffering from influenza. One or two sent representatives who served in their stead.At St. George’s hospital on Saturday night it was stated that there was a decline of the epidemic, although 24 nurses were away ill, which necessitated the closing of two wardsA telegram from St. Petersburg on Friday night stated: The influenza, which first made its appearance in Russia, but which, -probably from climatic reason, never assumed the malignancy subsequently characterising it in other countries, has; now completely disappeared in this capital. I
Newspaper Details
Lloyds Weekly Newspaper
London, Middlesex, GB
Sun, Jan 19, 1890
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Lauren H.
CA 14 Apr 2025
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