Epidemic Respiratory Disease: The pneumonias and other infections of the repiratory tract accompanying influenza and measlesOpie, Eugene L. (Eugene Lindsay)
History
Epidemic Respiratory Disease: The pneumonias and other infections of the repiratory tract accompanying influenza and measles
During a subsidiary outbreak of influenza occurring in 1891–92
Pfeiffer[59] discovered the microorganism which he believed was the
cause of the disease. Pneumonia, he believed, was caused by the invasion
of this microorganism into the lung, and the pneumonia of influenza, if
death occurred at the height of the disease, was characterized not only
by the presence of the bacillus of influenza, but was recognizable by
its anatomic peculiarities. He described lobular patches of
consolidation which were separated from one another by air containing
tissue or were confluent, so that, although the lobular character was
still recognizable, whole lobes might be affected. The consolidated
tissue was dark red and within each lobular area were small, yellowish
gray spots varying in size from that of a pinhead to a pea. In the mucus
of the larynx and trachea were numerous microorganisms, including
diplococci and streptococci, among which influenza bacilli were
predominant; in the larger bronchi, bacteria other than influenza
bacilli were less abundant, whereas in the finer bronchi filled with
purulent fluid and in the lung tissue influenza bacilli had undivided
sway. Pfeiffer stated that the changes described were found when death
occurred at the height of the disease, whereas other pulmonary lesions
might be sequelæ of this typical influenzal pneumonia.
Observations upon the pathology of influenzal pneumonia made during the
epidemic of 1889–92 have been collected in the monograph of
Leichtenstern[60] published in 1896. He combats the opinion held by some
observers that pneumonia with influenza is always catarrhal and cites
many writers to prove that lobar pneumonia not infrequently accompanies
the disease. Indeed, some have found “croupous” pneumonia more often
than “catarrhal.” Krannhals[61] at Riga found typical fibrinous
pneumonia in 53 instances, doubtful forms in 22 and bronchopneumonia in
37. Cruickshank[62] in England found croupous forms predominant. Among
43 autopsies performed upon individuals dead with influenza
Birch-Hirschfeld[63] found 11 instances of croupous lobar pneumonia, 8
instances of croupous lobular pneumonia and 24 instances of catarrhal
pneumonia. Leichtenstern thinks that the atypical symptomatology of
lobar pneumonia with influenza—for example, the purulent character of
the sputum—has led many physicians to believe that lobar pneumonia
rarely occurs. It is equally true that many instances of confluent
lobular pneumonia are mistaken for lobar.
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