THE EPIDEMIC IN ENGLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1918, Page 5

THE EPIDEMIC IN ENGLAND.

DOCTORS PUZZLED. „. C^P tain J - T - Marhall (retired), of Wellington, has forwarded to the Mayor of Wellington a copy of a letter received from his brother, written in Glasgow on October C, and referring chiefly to the influenza epidemic at Home. In the course of the letter the writer states:— "\Y r e went for holidays at t!>e end of August, but within aTortnight. I was knocked over with that scourge, the socalled influenza (which is now almost an epidemic), and that in a strange house was added trouble. The old-timo influenza by my (and no doubt your) recollection was a simple, if severe, cold in the head. What the doctors mean by applying the name to a severe fever, accompanied by unconsciousness and utter helplessness. I don't know, and, what is more. I don't think the doctors know. It is all over tbe Kingdom, anyway, and it leaves the victim mortally weak, with the groat risk of (co-called) pneumonia following it in cases of weakly people, and the doctors fear mortally a chill on recovery from influenza. Fortunately I was free of that, and (rot on the convalescent. list very weak after a month in bed. being for some of the days of the crisis unconscious. The result was to spoil the whole holiday for all of us, hut we had to stay some three weeks longer till I was strong for the journey, and we returned here (to Glasgow) on •September 21 Thev tell me I wag ill before I left, but it was not to tny knowledge, or v.'e never wouid have started. The illness declared itself fullv after the first week, so one cannot hlante pi ii:freli"Ti after leaving Glasgow. This is the only Eerious illness I have had in all my life- Some sug•rest that prisoners or refugees brought the trouble from the Continent. Tt attacks all classc-s p.r.d all ages, and lots of schools are dosed, and works are seriously interfered with owinsr to the epidemic among the work-people. Conditions or means or surroundings seem to play no part in the spread of the diseass, and the ir.odieal men are wondering yet. My doctor said that if the temperature rn«e to 103 the fever took charjre, and his fight was to get that rednred: but T am curious to know where and how the original infection arose—the doctors look wise, 'but have nothing to «av."

It -npnears tlaii in Plvrri» tTis returns of the deaths in Rlfir-arow thoso who died of influenza were separated fro;n thoso who raeenmbed to wowiKKiia, for the letter snvs: "Fifty-five dic-il lit from influent Ifweek, from pneumonia." The letter continues: "TtTn-sy fioctovß in 'Britain trv to denv that it is an infections disease, but I pee reported today (October 0, 1#1S) that tlio Trench Government has ordered it to he reported as infections. The British doctors will wake up and follow the French lead in perbap« twentv years to come, and then let themselves down es*v by piving it. some new name to cTtrod the i?Bflft. ° TJp to the present it is verv atofcjht