Influenza

Influenza is an infectious disease, in which catarrh of the respiratory mucous membranes is a marked symptom. It is developed in epidemic form from time to time, attacking a large proportion of the population, and producing a marked influence upon the death-rate. Since the registration of deaths was systematically undertaken in this country, no year has passed in which deaths from influenza have not been recorded; but the disease in its epidemic form has occurred only two or three times. There was an outbreak in 1837-38, again in 1847-48, and once more in 1889-90-91. Little is known about the causation of the malady; it is highly infectious, and is presumably a germ disease. The symptoms are prostration, with severe frontal headache, and pains in the back and limbs; there may be considerable elevation of temperature, and pain in the eyeballs is often a characteristic early symptom. After a short interval the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract become involved, with sneezing, sore throat, bronchitis, or even pneumonia. The disease is usually at its height on the third day, convalescence is frequently protracted, and complications are not uncommon. The percentage of deaths is small, but so many people are attacked that not a few fatal cases occur. During epidemics the number of deaths recorded from diseases of the respiratory organs is materially augmented. Adult males are particularly liable to be attacked by influenza and to suffer severely; but the disease is chiefly fatal in the case of old persons, especially in those who are the subjects of chronic lung mischief. The treatment is that of febrile maladies generally. The remarkable prostration seems to indicate the desirability of adopting a liberal regimen. It cannot be too strongly insisted upon that there is danger in endeavouring to disregard this disease. Many deaths have occurred in persons who refuse to "lie up" and adopt reasonable precautions.

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