Influenza : $b An epidemiologic studyVaughan, Warren T. (Warren Taylor)
History
Influenza : $b An epidemiologic study
Vaughan, Warren T. (Warren Taylor)
Influenza
“Some degree of dyspnoea is always present, and is usually progressive,
though towards the end in the fatal cases when the mental acuteness is
dulled by the increasing asphyxia the patient is not distressed by its
presence. In some cases there have been paroxysmal exacerbations of the
breathlessness, accompanied by a state of panic, in which the patient
struggles wildly and tries to get out of bed in order to gain relief.
Cyanosis is another prominent feature throughout the illness. At first
it may not be more than duskiness, but in the later stages it becomes
very evident. It is only slightly relieved by oxygen; this, no doubt, is
partly explained by the difficulty in giving the oxygen efficiently,
owing to the patient’s objection to any mouthpiece that fits at all
tightly, and partly by the blocked condition of the bronchioles
interfering with the absorption of the oxygen.
“The condition usually begins with the presence of a moderate number of
sharp crepitant râles, often first heard in the region of the root of
the lung; these quickly become generalized. In the majority of the cases
signs of bronchopneumonia patches can be made out; these are generally
situated near the root of the lungs. In a certain number of cases these
patches spread and become confluent, giving practically all of the
physical signs of a lobar pneumonia. As the disease progresses the air
entry is diminished; on listening one is often struck by the small
volume of sound heard. The resonance of the lungs may also be lessened.
A slight pleuritic rub was heard in a few of our cases, but this was
soon masked by the bronchitis signs.”
Detailed sputum examination in twenty cases showed the presence of the
influenza bacillus in eighteen, and in ten out of these eighteen the
organism was isolated by culture. The next most frequent organism found
was the pneumococcus, which was present in thirteen cases. The
streptococcus was found in five.
Abrahams, Hallows, Eyre and French report the same epidemic:
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