INFLUENZA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3774, 19 September 1907, Page 4

INFLUENZA.

Dr Mason’s Advice. Speaking of influenza to a Wellington Post reporter, Dr Mason said that about six years ago an epidemic put many people out ot action temporarily, and a fair number permanently, but the present outbreak is probably the most pronounced one since the “ grippe ” made its first notable appearance in this country nearly twenty years ago. This was in the year following the great flood in China, in which thousands of persons perished, and it was conjectured that the cause of the disease lay in the exhalations from the dead bodies. In Russia, to this day, the land of the Celestials is blamed for the very earthly influenza, for the Tsar’s subjects call this sickness “ Chinese catarrh.” The way in which infection is carried are so numerous that it is absolutely impossible to isolate against influenza, says Dr Mason. A man’s safety lies in not fighting against the foe. If he desires salvation he must go to bed and keep warm. The individual who says, ‘‘ Thisis nothing ; I’ll fight it off, ’ ’ goes under. The organism which causes the trouble was discovered several years ago ; it is a very small bacillus, hut very' powerful. It attacks people in various ways. Sometimes one of the symptoms is a sore throat of the diphtheric order, and in other cases the abdomen may be the principal target, and the attentions of the microbes are followed by severe diarrhoea. The ailment itself may not be very serious, but the after effects may be memorable. The disease seems to knock the vim out of patients even after the}' have apparently recovered. The incubation period is very short —only a day 7 or two —so that a person who feels thoroughly well to-day may be down to-morrow. The danger is in neglect to take care. Some startling figures may be quoted about the ravages of influenza. In 1874 a virulent form of this disease swept through Tondon. It is computed that 250,000 people were smitten, and in six weeks the deaths amounted to 5000.