Studies on Epidemic Influenza: Comprising Clinical and Laboratory Investigations — John Shaqi
Studies on Epidemic Influenza: Comprising Clinical and Laboratory InvestigationsUniversity of Pittsburgh. School of Medicine
History
Studies on Epidemic Influenza: Comprising Clinical and Laboratory Investigations
University of Pittsburgh. School of Medicine
Influenza; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919
The epidemic first reached Chicago on September 21, and from that date
on it rapidly increased throughout the city for a period of 26 days
until October 17, when it reached its maximum both in the number of
deaths from influenza and from pneumonia. On that day the total number
of deaths from influenza and from pneumonia reported was 2,395. From
September 21 until November 16 there were reported 37,921 cases of
influenza and 13,109 cases of pneumonia. On September 8 at the Great
Lakes Naval Training Station, which is 32 miles north of the city, an
extensive outbreak of influenza occurred. This was 13 days before the
outbreak in the city of Chicago itself. Camp Grant, located at Rockford,
92 miles northwest of the city, suffered an outbreak on September 21. A
suggestion of the likelihood that influenza was prevalent in this
country in a mild and unrecognized form in the spring of this year is
shown by the fact that numerous local outbreaks of acute respiratory
diseases were brought to the attention of the Health Department of
Chicago. These occurred especially in large office buildings and in
industrial departments. The total number of deaths from influenza and
pneumonia during 14 weeks was 51,915. This would indicate that a very
great number of cases were not reported to the Bureau of Health until
they died or else there must have been a large number of deaths due to
lobar pneumonia. One naturally obtains from these figures the impression
that the disease was not recognized for a long time, that the pneumonia
must have been called lobar pneumonia, and that the actual figures
gathered by this city, as well as others, must have been greatly
confused at the onset of the epidemic. It is not unlikely that records
from many of the army cantonments and naval stations may be considered
from the same viewpoint. Weather conditions were considered normal at
the height of the epidemic, the weather being dry. There has been a
flare-up of influenza recently, but not in sufficient numbers to justify
calling it epidemic.
In the city of Louisville, Ky., the epidemic started September 26, and
the total number of cases up to December 21 is reported as being 9,445.
Out of this number 772 deaths occurred from pneumonia. No distinction is
made here between broncho-pneumonia and lobar pneumonia, but the
presumption from the records of other cities at this time is that these
were cases of broncho-pneumonia following influenza. The weather was
described as being delightful fall weather. The statement is made by the
authorities that while the epidemic is still prevalent, it is confined
largely to children and is rapidly abating.
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