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
During the time the epidemic was at its height in Pittsburgh the Western
Pennsylvania Institution for the Blind was in session. This school is
located in the heart of the educational center and was surrounded by the
barracks of the Student Army Training Corps of the University of
Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. When the influenza
was recognized as epidemic in this neighborhood, the attending physician
at this institution advised a quarantine against the public. The
children were refused visitors in the buildings, and the usual week-end
trips home were forbidden. This school was continuously in session from
September 24 until November 30. During this time there was not a single
case of influenza in the school and the children were free from any
infectious disease. On December 1 the pupils returned to school after
the Thanksgiving holiday, and one week later, on December 8, the first
case of influenza appeared. In a period of five days following 15 cases
developed. It was considered wise to close the school, and all well
children were sent to their homes. The institution was kept closed until
January 1, since which time no cases have developed. Very few of these
children had influenza at home, and only one death occurred.
A reliable report, subsequently confirmed by the health officer, stated
that in Masontown, Pa., the start and course of the epidemic were very
striking. A dance was held in the town and the musicians were brought
from nearby cities. One of the musicians employed was not very well upon
his arrival, and became so ill that after the dance he was put to bed in
the hotel. He was found to be suffering from influenza when examined the
following day, and from him as the primary case the town was swept by
the epidemic.
In Mercer, Pa., the physician to the Board of Health reported that
during September they had a general epidemic of coryza and sneezing,
with slight fever, which lasted for three or four days. This was looked
upon by the people as hay fever. In the midst of this, or about
September 16, a man, 74 years of age, who had been away from home,
developed true influenza, followed by pneumonia, from which he recovered
about October 10. Another man, employed in Greenville, a nearby town,
where influenza was already prevalent, returned to his family here
suffering from the disease. The whole family and all who were exposed to
this family were infected. From this family as a focus the disease
spread rapidly in every direction. There were about 350 cases in the
town of 2,000 inhabitants, and there were 9 deaths. Sporadic cases have
occurred since, ranging in number from one to a dozen at a time. These
numbers do not include scores of cases called colds by the people, but
it seems that all these cases had an influenza element.
In the town of New Castle it was not possible to trace the onset of the
influenza epidemic to a definite case. As the health officer stated,
several cases were reported at once.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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