Influenza : $b An epidemiologic studyVaughan, Warren T. (Warren Taylor)
History
Influenza : $b An epidemiologic study
Vaughan, Warren T. (Warren Taylor)
Influenza
Brewer, in his study of influenza in September, 1918, at Camp Humphreys,
finds that the colored troops showed a decidedly lower rate than the
white troops throughout the epidemic. He finds that the incidence among
colored troops was only 43 per cent. of that among whites. The
difference between colored and white organizations was probably not due
to difference in housing. Most of the colored troops were in tents and
the white troops were all in barracks. But the 42d Company composed of
negroes was housed in barracks under the same conditions as the white
troops of other organizations and they had next to the lowest incidence
of all organizations. Brewer concludes that the colored race when living
under good hygienic conditions is not as susceptible to influenza as the
white race under the same conditions. The age distribution was the same
in both groups.
Armstrong concluded from figures based on reported cases of influenza
that in the autumn of 1918 proportionately four times as much influenza
and pneumonia was reported among the Italians as was reported for the
rest of the Framingham community, made up largely of Irish or
Irish-American stock. On the contrary, an examination of a large
proportion of the population of that town showed a tuberculosis
incidence among the Italian race stock of .48, in contrast to an
incidence among the Irish of 4.85 per cent. and of 2.16 per cent. in the
entire population. Armstrong contrasts the relative insusceptibility of
Italian stock to tuberculosis, with the apparent marked susceptibility
to acute disease of the respiratory tract, such as influenza and
pneumonia; and the high susceptibility of the Irish to tuberculosis,
with their low susceptibility to acute respiratory infection.
With regard to our work it is sufficient to state that the lowest
incidence in both epidemics, as well as in recurrent cases, was in the
Irish tenement districts. Both the Jewish and the Italian tenement
districts were slightly higher in both epidemics (Charts XIX and XXI).
The age distribution of the entire population of each of these three
districts was about the same, so it does not appear that the slightly
lower incidence among the Irish is due to a variation in the age
distribution of the population.
The subject of race in relation to influenza will be discussed further
under mortality.
MORTALITY.
According to Marchese, in 1387 at Forli in Italy, not a person escaped
the disease, but only a few died. Gassar says that during the same
epidemic in Germany the patients suffered four, or at most five, days
with the most disagreeable catarrhal symptoms and delirium, but
recovered, and only very few were removed by death.
Pasquier remarks concerning an epidemic in 1411 that an infinitude of
individuals were attacked but that none died.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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