INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Evening Star, Issue 17086, 3 July 1919, Page 8

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

DOCTORS IN CONFERENCE. "REALLY A NEW DISEASE" RAVAGES IN IKE ARMY. Influenza in all its degrees from discomfort to death, was .discussed at a •clinical meeting of the British Medical AiSKoeiation in London recently. The recently-cultured bacillus of the disease was displayed as a lantern screen illustration—a 'number of. little black specks on a field, of grey. The bacillus actively introduced its presence into tho lecture theatre and got a blow back on the doctors. One of the experts down to read a. paper was unable to do so—he had been attacked— and before the end of the day members of the audience were feeling the forai warning eymptoms. Speakers agreed that the influenza they have had, are having, and will have again was not .real influenza as previously known. Rather it was a new disease, which required a new distinguishing name. "Unparalleled in medical history," "Like nothing we have met before," " More virulent than the .plague," were some of the descriptions given to the disease, Id was related that the new influenza first appeared among the troops in France in tho Ypres salient, the place- where so many of tho most unpleasant things of the war happened, and also that it was becoming medically fashionable to diagnose almost everything as influenza. Major-ge-iieral Sir W'Hmot Herringham, who opened tho discussion, «t4ifced tho conelusion that there wos no known remedy for the disease. Thar© were, he said, three distinct iniiuenaa waves among the armies in France—one in the spring of last year, at first very mild, but afterwards more severe ; the second in the autumn—a very serious outbreak; the third in February and March of this year. The general quoted figures. In September. 1918, the American transport Nestor wont to sea with 2.807 troops aboard. On the thiivl da.v out R-he pui into Sydney, Nova Scotia, and landed 660 influenza patients o,r suspects. Between. Nova .Scotia and Liverpool over 1,000 mere men were stricken down, and 17 died at see. while others were landed in' a condition. The heaviest influenza, weeks with the Army in France as follow :

A flcv.t surgeon mentioned that there were 80.CCO cases of in.'luanza in the Navy. ]n one ship's company of 718 men iu> fewer than 662 \xevp taken ill, and then* wens 30 dsaths. J Dr \V. .1. Tyson declared : " There is nothing in the history of medieino like these epidemic.-, and '| doubt very mueii if wp should apply the name inflneuzu to the disease.'' "There is only one remedy." s.-n'd Hr Tyson: " y.« to bed when the temperature, appenrs. and stop there."

Case*. Deaths (Mober 26 ... ... 9.280 314 November 2 ... ... 13,205 701 November 9 ... 11,877 878 November 16 ... ... 7,389 689 November 23 ... ... 8,008 546