Symptoms of Influenza.

Otago Witness, Issue 2511, 30 April 1902, Page 64

Symptoms of Influenza.

1 hough the symptoms of influenza somewhat resemble those of a common cold, its epidemic character and its independence of climatic conditions show it to be quite a different disease. The cough plague which spread over Europe in 876 was proliably influenza\ Since then there lias been no century without one or more visitations by this epidemic. The first to be carefully described was that of 1557. Some have been nearly or wholly woildwide ; somfe of limited extent. Most often the pest travels from east to west. Yet there is reason to believe that it has sometimes originated in America and travelled eastward. Its starting point has never been known. In some oases it has passed over all Europe in six weeks. Sometimes its march is much slower. Rural districts are generally spared, but often a considerable proportion of the inhabitants of cities and towns are prostrated. It tanies in a place from mx weeks to two months. The attack comes on suddenly, and many persons in a community may be down with the disorder at once. Its symptoms are a. chill, followed by flushes of heat ; dryness of the skin ; pain in the head and chest ; extreme prostration, a hard, dry cough, great mental depression, and, in many cases, loss of appetite, nausea, and constipation. Prostiation is throughout the most maiked and distressing symptom. It lasts from three to five days, and, m severe case*, from seven to ten. The patient, however, i.s left much prostrated for sometime, and a troublesome cough lingers afterwards. In some cases the disease tends to become complicated with acute capillaiy bronchitis — inflammation of the minute bronchial tubes. This is apt to be fatal in the aged, the feeble, and those who ate suffering from previous lung or heart disease. It may al<=o become complicated with pneumonia. During the prevalence of mduenza other di^ea'-e.'' are usually severe, «"d the general rate of mortality is increased In the milder "case — and most are mildlittle medicine is required, and any medicine that would relieve the patient might be harmful in the case of the feeble.

— Many paupers have lived to lie 100 yeare old, but there i* no record of a millionaire having attained that age. Pneumonia, Mith its swift attack, Shovvr. mercy to but few, And those that strength acid gcocl health lack Can't hope to pull safe through. When winter brings its cold and wet, Such thinge we can endure If we but have the sense to get