CAUSE OF INFLUENZA.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 August 1919, Page 8

CAUSE OF INFLUENZA.

In reference to the statement that the cause of'the influenza epidemic has been discovered in the Pfeiff"el- bacillus, an ofiiciai of the medical dC]‘r€l‘.'i‘?HL‘]l'L’ of the local Government Board, London, Stated that it is -feallj; pi'em:ltui'e to claim that the disease is due to this organism. GThe.i-9 is still ermsiderable eonflict ef opinion in the medical world. The Pfeiffer bacillus has been investigated at .a number of hospitals, but the results are not at all definite_ The Vaccine of this ol'gmli§hl was used in New York, and the experience there has not been such a's to justify it being recommended effectivefy. “The whole thing,” said the ofi‘icilll_. “is still in the experi-mental stage, and until one has more definite data. to go upon, it is really asking» for trouble to make a. definite statement of discovery of the cause of influenza.”

Dr. Robertson Dobie, M.D., F.R-.C.5., of Criefi‘, Pcrthshire, writes oXpl‘o-*-sing the opinion that the influenza, epidemic is the direct, lesult of the lack of sugar. “I am convinced." he says, “that the phagocytes, or white blood, corpuscles—-our hatural safeguards against disease and inf’ect’ion——-are not only starving, but dying, for want of that essential caloric, sugar. It is the one and only element of our food that keeps the blood and circulatory system in good tune for the part. it has to play. Liberate the thousands of tons of good sugar, and do not hold it up for the ma.nufacturel' of jam and sweetmeats only, but give it to the people, at a considerably reduced price, ad lib, and in two months I predict influenza and all its disastrous complicationswill be a thing; of the past. I find in the large country district which I work “-we .i’:i,.rm.el's and me a-god population are sufl'.'oring severely. They have plenty of everything——the best of milk, b-11tter,, eggs"! bacon. v’eg‘,etables—bu4t they have a. very limited supply of sugar. I have studied the subject earefully. and on my list of patients I have very few, if any, of the eniployees in our local jam factory. There they live in a. sugary atmosphere all day_”