AN OLD ENEMY

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 121, 18 November 1918, Page 6

AN OLD ENEMY

KNOWN SINCE 1510.

PRECAUTIONS AND TREATMENT.

To a Post reporter to-day, a very well-; known local medical man gave some interesting information concerning the malady. "Influenza," he said, "is an infectious disease which has occurred at various intervals from the first accurately described outbreak—that of 1510. It is really a pandemic (universal epidemic) disease appearing at regular intervals, and characterised by extraordinary rapidity" of extension and the large number of people attacked. Following the pandemic there are as a rule, for several years, endemic, epidemic, or sporadic outbreaks in different regions. Great pandemics of influenza have been recognised since the 16th century. During the last century there were four, with the succeeding epidemics, viz., 1830-3, 1836-7, 1847-8, and 1889-90. I was through the 1889-90 epidemic in England, and then came to New Zealand, and struck the pandemic here in 1891. Tho. pandemic to-day is no different, nor is it any more serious than was that one to which I refer.

"The last pandemic 6eems to have begun, as many before it, in the Far East., The duration in any one locality is from six to eight weeks, and there is no other disease, except perhaps dengue, which attacks indiscriminately so large a proportion of the inhabitants—about 40 per cent, as a rule. Fortunately, the mortality is very, very low j not extreme as many people - seem to imagine. It has not been much over 1 per cent. ■ THE SPECIFIC CAUSE.. "The specific cause is generally believed to be a bacillus described In 1892. This bacillus is found in great abundance in the sputum of affected persons. Normally the bacillus lives in the respiratory passages, but it sometimes gains access to the blood. The incubation period is from one to four days, and the onset usually abrupt with fever and its associated phenomena." TREATMENT OF SUFFERERS. "Patients attacked should be isolated and secretions thoroughly disinfected. In every case the disease should be regarded as serious, and the patient should remain in bed until the fever has disappeared. The treatment should be supporting; patients should be carefully fed and nursed. • Depression of spirits is often an unpleasant and obstinate featnre. The remedy put out by the Health Department is a good one, and safe, and should be the only one used if the patient, is not under medical supervision. For food, milk, cereals, milk toast, beef juice, broths, eggs beaten in 'milk or soft-boiled, are good. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. "Precautioinary measures should be very carefully used, and on no account should irritants be used. The use of formalin, strong permanganate of potash, sulphur, and other like articles which are irritants is apt to do mischief. !The best preventive is to keep away from crowds and company as mudh as passible. Get plenty of fresh air; keep your spirits up and be cheerful. I recommend the use of one teaspopnful of 6alt in half a pint' of warm water for use as a nasal douche or gargle. If Condy's fluid is used it should only be in a very faintly pink colour. The very best " preventive remedy, if remedy is required, .is amjmoniated quinine. If quinine is taken as a preventive, not more than two grains should be taken once a day, but in the case of ammoniated quinine one teaspoonfnl in water many be taken, but not more .often than.three times a day." • " ■-■'"■ :-' •