The pathology of influenzaWinternitz, M. C. (Milton C.)
Science
The pathology of influenza
Winternitz, M. C. (Milton C.)
Influenza
by variations in the sensitivity to minor indisposition on the part of
the different individuals.
The preceding review should aid in the correlation of the clinical types
of the disease with the respiratory lesions. All pulmonary lesions, from
the least to the most localized, may be explained either by a subsidence
of a less acute initial and diffuse involvement of the parenchyma, or by
a less rapid and progressive spread of the necrotizing and inflammatory
process from the upper respiratory tract through the bronchioles to the
alveoli. This conception does not take into account the significance of
the period of malaise, interpreted by the clinician as the period of
invasion, but attempts to correlate the respiratory symptoms with the
pulmonary lesions and their etiology.
Our own experience, like that of other observers (26, 104, 162), is that
all fatal cases of this disease show pulmonary involvement in the form
of pneumonia. The lesion varies greatly in intensity and in the amount
of pulmonary tissue affected. In the descriptions which follow, the more
diffuse and intense processes will be discussed first, and later those
in which the inflammation localized and terminated in pseudolobar,
lobar, lobular, or peribronchial pneumonia.
(1) ACUTE DIFFUSE FULMINATING TYPE OF PNEUMONIA
The majority of influenzal deaths have been examples of this acute type.
Out of ninety-five cases, the total number studied, forty-four belong to
this group in which the average duration of illness was nine days. They
form the basis of the description which follows.
_Gross Picture._
A striking feature of the external examination of the body is the
intense rigor which involves all the muscles and is broken only with
difficulty (78). This is associated with a rapid settling of the
unclotted blood in the dependent parts which gives them an intense blue
or bluish-purple color. The erythema of the skin which has been
described clinically is not recognizable at the post-mortem table. There
is, however, cyanosis of the face which reaches an intensity explained
by the fact that this disease so often affects healthy, well nourished,
muscular individuals. In a few instances the cyanosis is more extensive
and gives a plum color to the entire body. All the mucous membranes
share in the intense congestion and discoloration of the face. Slight
jaundice is common, but marked variations in intensity occur. The
external nares and the lips are almost invariably covered with
blood-stained crusts. Even in the decubitus position, a thin, sanguinous
fluid tends to escape in large quantities from the nose and mouth. The
large veins of the neck are usually prominent, and the chest voluminous.
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