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
Wollstein and Goldbloom in the Babies Hospital of the City of New York
found the B. influenzæ in 13 of 17 sputa during life and in both lungs
of all 18 autopsies as well as in the heart’s blood of one. Kotz found
it in half of his 30 cases. Pritchett and Stillman grew the influenza
bacillus from 41 of 49 cases of influenza, from 40 of 43 cases of
influenza with broncho-pneumonia, from all of six other
broncho-pneumonia cases and from 11 of 20 cases of lobar pneumonia,
making a total of 98 positive findings from 118 or 82 per cent. They
further found 25 positives from 54 convalescent and 74 from 177 normal
sputa. Wolbach found this organism in pure culture in one or more lobes
of the lungs of 9 from 23 cultured cases. It was demonstrated in 23 of
28 either by culture or in section.
Similar results are to be found in reports from Great Britain. Martin
noted a great increase in the numbers present as the sputum became more
purulent. Hicks and Gray found B. influenzæ by culture in 75 per cent.
of their cases. They were seen in direct smears in only 70 per cent.
Gotch and Wittingham considered M. catarrhalis to be the etiological
factor as it was found in all of their 50 cases. B. influenzæ was grown
in 8 per cent., although B. influenzæ-like bacilli, were seen in 62 per
cent. of their smears. Averill, Young and Griffiths studied the sputum
from 41 cases and found B. influenzæ in 32. It is interesting that
Macdonald and Lyth determined the incubation period to be 41 hours as a
minimum in their own experience and that from the posterior nares of one
of them B. influenzæ was obtained.
Schofield and Cynn found the B. influenzæ in Korea. Kraus in Brazil
found it in the sputum in 62 per cent. of his cases of influenza. It was
also found in the organs of 27 who had died, being in pure culture in
five. It has further been found in France, Italy and practically all
parts of the world where investigations have been made. The German
literature is at present only available in the report of the British
Medical Research Committee which is written in a more or less popular
manner with a rather strong tendency against the importance of B.
influenzæ. Dietrich, Simmonds, Bergmann and others, however, found B.
influenzæ rather frequently. Such quotations as “Uhlenhuth, a diehard of
bacteriologic orthodoxy, has clearly shown signs of uneasiness” and “one
empyema and one throat swab yielded the looked for growth” will indicate
why this review is of little use. It is certainly necessary to “look
for” the B. influenzæ to get results of any worth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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