INFLUENZA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2010, 20 February 1890, Page 1

INFLUENZA.

Influenza is distinctly febrile in its nature, and is accompanied by inflammatory symptoms of the sir passages, great depression, languor, anxiety, and lowness of spirits. There are various complications, and if the attack 1 is severe it is very hard upon old and weakly people, especial if the bronchial trouble is acute. In such cases there is a sudden and unaccountable loss of strength, which is liable to c-irry off the sufferer. It is this loss of strength which makes two days of the acute symptoms of influenz i as bad as a fortnight nf some other febrisl and bronchial aff ctions, and herein lies the danger, for patients ere apt to under estimate the complaint, sod too sadden, exposure brings on other chest troubles. Whenever influenza attacks anyone he shoo'd take to bed without delay, and begin to take diaphoretics at once. For an' adult a powder composed of Dover’s powder 10 grains, lobelia 3 grains, and nitre 4 grainsjs a good thing to start with ; so also is a l-20.th grain pilocarpine tabloid. Either of these ..starts diaphoresis, which mast be maintained by hourly doses, consisting of one minim of tincture of aconite in a teaspoonful of Miodererus spirit. Meanwhile the strength should be maintained by nourishing food, preferably in liquid form, such as soups and beef-tea. Diarrhoea is a common symptom, and shou d be treated with small doses of opium and astringents. When the febrile symptoms have abated the administration of nourishing food should be continued during the period of convalescence, which lasts 10 days or a fortnight, the patient meanwhile taking a tonic of the Easton’s syrup class. Amongst the secondary symptoms of influenza are frontal headache (for which antipyrin is likely to be the popular remedy on this occasion}, cough snd sore throat, which may be treated with the usual remedies. The complaint is sometimes spoken of as one of inferior gravity, like a common cold, but the symptoms are distinctly different; it is contagions, intensely weakening, occasionally fatal, and for these reasons it is not a thing to treat lightly,