NEW TYPE OF 'FLU

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 7

NEW TYPE OF 'FLU

THE OUTBREAK IN ENGLAND. The now so-called "influenza" epidemic is spreading, and as it spreads its special and peculiar character becomes more apparent (writes the medical correspondent of fch-5 London ' Times'). Wo have long been accustomed to the text-book distinction bcWann pulmonary, gastric, and cerebral types of influenza. But the present epidemic belongs to a different category from any of theva. _ ) Its history is curious. Last April trie writer called attention in 'The Times' to a curious outbreak of spots which he had happened to see in several cases. Following on his communication, letters were received from various party of the/country describing exactly similar conditions. In all, twenty-six cases records were obtained, and they showed the following average course:—Giddiness was noticed first. ' It was followed by loss of appetite to a more or less great degree, and thero was a tendency to "feel the heart"—l.e., to palpitation." Thereafter "spots" began to appear. They were raised papules, like, but probably not, "flea-bites." They had a faint pinkish-yellow color. At the saiiici time of the face was often noted, and occasionally a rash like German measles spread all over the body. The face became rather puffy, especially under the eyes, and the ankbs tenled to swell. After meals a sense of prickliness was often complained of. The condition lasted about ten days, and then tended to relapse. It showed a marked tendency to relapse, with nervousness, shakincss, breathlessness, and often muscular pains. was also common. Very careful inquiries showed that cases of tho same sort kept cropping up alt through the summer, but only a few here and there. In each case marked depression, or palpitation, or both occurred. The present epidemic bears so great a resemblance to these spring cases as to suggest that it is tho same disease. Again there are the spots (mostly about shoulders or arms or face), again the lethargy, again the giddiness and sickness and palpitation. The relapses, too,'are occurring just as they occurred early last year. In some cases the first attack is so slight as to pass for a trifling indisposition: but the subsequent depression makes the diagnosis evident.

Further, a marked tendency to boils and carbuncles and other suppurative conditions exists. These have been a most notable feature of the epidemic to date. Some physicians now take the view that a germ belonging to the diphtheroid group is the active agent. It is pointed out that slight sore thro it with glandular enlargement is commonly met with. Moreover, we aro now passing through an exceptionally severe epidemic of diphtheria among children. Be this as it may, there is need for extensive investigation, because the after-effects of Jbhe attacks seem to be prolonged and of great severity—notably the depression and breathlessness.