“THE FLU”
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF
INFLUENZA
IN
U. S. AMERICA
EUROPE
HAWAII
BY
A. MOURITZ, Ph.D.
PHYSICIAN
HONOLULU, HAWAII
U. S. AMERICA
1921
COPYRIGHTED
Entered According to Act of Congress, in the Year 1921
By
A. MOURITZ
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress
Printed in Hawaii
Press: Advertiser Publishing Co., Ltd., Honolulu
MDCCCCXXI
PREFACE
This Booklet has been written and compiled for the use of any student or
layman who seeks concise and clear information on the history of
Influenza. Brief and salient facts are set forth relating to “Flu”
epidemics and pandemics: other collateral features have also been
discussed, connected with or bearing upon this subject.
A. M.
_Author and Compiler._
Honolulu, Hawaii, U. S. A., 1921.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Finckler, Dittmar. Influenza. Bonn. 1898.
Fonseca, 〃 〃 Salamanca. 1625.
Hubbard, 〃 〃 London. 1667.
Lobineau, 〃 〃 Paris. 1650.
Pasquier, 〃 〃 Paris. 1665.
Perkins, 〃 〃 Paris. 1776.
Pfeiffer, Richard. 〃 〃 Breslau. 1892.
Short, Thomas. 〃 〃 London. 1587.
Thompson, Theodore. 〃 〃 London. 1852.
Webster, Noah. Epidemics, Pestilences. London. 1800.
American Dictionary of Medicine; Various Authors. 1914.
Report of London College of Physicians. London. 1783.
Madhava, Indian Physician, Pathology ‘Rugvinischaya.’ B.C. 582.
Diodorus Siculus, Historian, Agyrium, Sicily. A.D. 78.
CHAPTER I.
_What is Influenza? Discovery of the Bacillus. Alleged causes. Names
given to the disease and their translation. Explanation of medical
words._
INFLUENZA.
An infectious and contagious disease; most startling in its methods of
sudden appearance and disappearance; its widely diffused and rapid
spread is seen in no other disease; it has excited universal and general
attention; physicians and scientists have been stimulated and fascinated
whilst pursuing their investigations and studying the disease in its
various phases, to wit: spread, incubation, differences of type, and the
exact micro-organism which invades the system of man, and if there is
more than one that enters together or separately.
_Discovery of the Bacillus._ In the year 1892, Dr. Richard Pfeiffer, of
the University of Breslau, Silesia, Prussia, discovered the specific
microbe of Influenza, a Bacillus, which is generally accepted as being
the cause of the disease; however, there are some physicians who
dissent.
It was found to be present in the lungs, bronchial mucous membrane,
sputum and nasal discharge. It is one of the smallest of the known
bacilli; measures about one micron long and a one-half micron in
breadth. A micron is equal to 1/25,000 of an inch. The bacillus is found
singly and in pairs, is non-motile. Domestic animals are not subject to
the Flu, but monkeys and rabbits can be infected.
_Alleged Causes of the “Flu.”_ It has been attributed to numerous and
varied agencies in the past. Philosophers, physicians and the people
believed the disease to be due to supernatural phenomena.
Some of the causes given were in the main fanciful, freakish and
imaginary, the delusions of minds filled with wonder or fear, and
illusions of the senses, such as:
Comets, earthquakes, volcanoes and cosmic dust caused by the rising and
setting of the sun.
A.D. 1411 Diabolical pollution of the air with pestilential vapors
arising from the air and ground; these caused bleedings
from the mouth, nose and bowels, and in women caused
abortions.
〃 1580 Bad conduct of Sirius the dog star, caused by anger.
〃 1658 Blast from the stars.
〃 1742 Malign influence (Influenza) of the stars, etc., etc.
NAMES GIVEN TO INFLUENZA: TRANSLATED.
Date of Epidemic. Name. Language.
A.D.
827 Se Wulf Saxon
827 Heafd Flowan Anglo-Saxon
876 Italiae Febris Latin
1411 Le Tac French
1414 Le Horion French
1427 Ladendo Italian
1510 Cephale Catarrhale French
1510 Coqueluche French
1510 Coccoluche Anglo-French
1742 Influente Italian
1742 La Grippe French
1781 Catarro Russo Italian
Se Wulf. Se (the), Wulf, wolf. Probably so named from the cough of the
Flu victim resembling the growl of the wolf; or from the sudden seizure
by the outlaw wolf of its victim.
Heafd Flowan. Heafd, head; Flowan, to flow; hence Head Catarrh.
Italiae Febris. Fever of Italy.
Le Tac. The Rot; slow recovery, persistent cough, like T.B.
Le Horion. The thump or blow; suddenness of the attack of the Flu.
Ladendo. This word is puzzling; it is slang Latin or Italian or is
misspelt. If Latendo, it means, the Hidden One, the Flu. If it is
Ludendo, then it may mean, the Tickler or Laugher, the tickling cough
spasms, resembling a person laughing. In the Epidemic of 1427, the
manner of greeting was “As-tu eu Ladendo?” Have you had Ladendo?
Cephale Catarrhale. Head Catarrh.
Coqueluche; from coq, the male bird; hence crested like the comb of a
cock. Luche means a cap or hood. The wearing of a cap, cocked or crest
shaped, by the victim of the Flu, gave the name to the disease, hence,
“Coqueluche.”
Coccoluche. Is the above word Coqueluche, Anglicised. Coc or cocc is
Anglo-Saxon for the French word, coq.
La Grippe. La, the, and the verb, agripper, to grip or cling to or
choke.
_Influenza._ The world-wide designation by which the disease is known
today; is of Italian origin from the word Influente; a malign Influence
or Influenza from the stars being the cause. Latin: in, into or upon,
and fluo to flow; hence a flowing in, into or upon; caused by an unseen
power or Influence or Influenza, like the profuse nasal discharge,
flowing from an invisible source.
THE PERFECT LANGUAGE.
Sanskrit literally means “the perfect language,” from san or sam, with,
and krita, perfected or done. It is a mother language, the ancient
language of the Hindus, and called the Infallible language, because it
is based on infallible rules; and also the language of the Gods.
The language contains the root Plu; to flow, to rain, to swim. Now,
whether it is the Anglo-Saxon word, flowan to flow; or the Latin words
pluo, to rain, and fluo to flow; or the German fliessen, to flow; or the
Greek word phleo, to flow; and the Italian word, influente, influo, and
hence Influenza; every one of these words is drafted from this Sanskrit
root Plu; from 1800 B.C. downwards is the time that the Sanskrit was in
use.
Plu or Flu is an ancient disease, so the Author of this Booklet
believes, and in confirmation thereof, cites the views of native Indian
Sanskrit scholars who have found the records of a pestilence, resembling
the Flu away back in the mists of antiquity, 1200 B.C.
This disease repeatedly ravaged the then centers of dense population,
Central Asia, Mesopotamia and Southern Asia, in the reigns of Tiglath
Pileser (1120–00) and Nebuchadnezzar (605–562). The sickness affected
the citizens of ancient Babylon; and the described features of the
epidemics were such as we have today in those of Influenza, cough,
headache, fever, pain in the eyeballs, and copious tears and water
gushing from the nose, stained with blood or all blood. The Sanskrit
historians gave the name “Plu” to the disease, probably from the flowing
nasal discharge.
It is an uncanny coincidence, that our Hawaiian people, who are
descended from the Indian branch of the Indo-European family of nations,
use the softer letter p in pronouncing the shortened form of the word
Influenza, Plu for Flu.
Unknowingly, the Hawaiians are using probably the word that their
ancestors used 2,500 years ago in India on the banks of the river Sindhu
or Indus.
EXPLANATION OF MEDICAL WORDS.
Before entering upon a description of the epidemics of Influenza, which
have ravaged the various countries of the world, it is essential to
explain the meanings of certain medical words used in connection with
epidemic, contagious and infectious diseases.
The definitions which are given, if not exactly orthodox, are fairly in
accord with modern views, and are clear, simple, and should be easily
understood by any ordinary reader.
_Infectious._ A disease acquired without any direct contact with a sick
person; the infection may be carried by a person in apparent good
health, or by any intermediary substance, or by the entrance of a
non-immune person into a room, house, or any place of human residence,
or occupied as such; where there has been recently any infectious
disease, such as Flu, Scarlet Fever, Measles or Small-pox, etc., etc.
_Infection._ The entrance into the system or body of living disease
producing germs, such as by
(a) Droplet infection; bacteria infected minute particles or droplets,
ejected by sneezing, coughing, spitting and talking.
(b) Aerial dust particles coated with bacteria.
(c) Mixed, more than one bacterium or organism present in the system,
they may enter together or one precede the other.
_Contagious._ A disease acquired from a direct contact with the sick.
_Contagion._ The spreading of a disease by direct or indirect contact.
(a) Direct contagion.
(b) Indirect contagion or mediate, as by a “carrier,” who is apparently
in good health, but nevertheless carries disease and can convey it to
other non-immune persons.
(c) By means of Fomites (hereafter defined).
_Contagium._ The virus or poison which transmits disease, such as the
vaccine used in anti-smallpox vaccination, which in former years was
obtained from the vacca or cow, now the calf is the source of supply.
_Fomites._ Any non-animate agents or substances that transmit contagion
such as blankets, towels, handkerchiefs, or any articles which have been
contaminated by the secretions or excretions of the sick.
_Endemic._ A disease which is permanently present in a people or
district, it may become epidemic.
_Epidemic._ A rapidly and widely spreading disease attacking many
people.
_Pandemic._ A wide and rapidly spreading Epidemic affecting many people
and all countries.
_Sporadic._ A disease occurring here and there, not attacking many
people, not widely spread nor epidemic.
_Incubation._ The period between the implanting or acquiring of a
communicable disease and its development; and visible by external signs
or other recognisable manifestations.