Report on the influenza epidemic of 1889-90 / by Dr. Parsons ; with an introduction by the medical officer of the local government board.

  • Parsons, H. Franklin (Henry Franklin), 1846-1913.
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the influenza epidemic of 1889-90 / by Dr. Parsons ; with an introduction by the medical officer of the local government board. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    On Epidemic Influenia in J 889-90; by Dr. Parsons. Chap. XI11. In other parts. In Scotland and Ireland. existence of the epidemic is denied in the Daily News of May 1st. A few cases of Influenza in the officers of Her Majesty's Customs are reported on April 29th; they were thought to have lieen contracted in visiting steamers from Yorkshire ports; by May 12th over 40 officers had been affected. The epidemic seems to have fallen early and with special severity upon Members of Parliament and other persons in prominent positions, some of whom were attacked before the end of April. On May 15th it was stated that 77 Members of Parliament had been attacked. It was suggested that the infection might have been introduced by witnesses fi-om Sheffield, who came up in large numbers in the latter part of April to give evidence concerning a railway bill. On May 1 Influenza was reported in newspapers to be prevalent at Ham])stead and elsewhere in North London, and at Woolwich; on May 5th, as prevalent in East London ; and on May 7tli, in South-East London ; and at Edmonton, where special hospital provision had to be made for the sufferers. The deaths in London attributed to Influenza which were 9 in the four weeks ending January 31st, 7 in the four weeks ending February 28th, and 8 in the four weeks ending March 28th, began to increase in April. They were in the— Week ending April 4th 11 :> „ 11th 3 tf „ 18tli 9 i> „ 25th 16 9t May 2nd 37 „ 9th 148 » „ 16th 266 »l „ 23rd 319 >9 ,, 30th 310 In the Metropolis the number of deaths ascribed to Influenza as the primary cause in the weeks ending May 9th, 16th, and 23rd is much higher than that in any week during the epidemic of 1890; the largest number then having been 137 ; namely, during the week ending January 18th. During May the Infliienza epidemic is reported to be very severe at Loughborough; (May 1st, and later to have spread extensively in the villages in the Soar valley); also at Widnes, and an;ong the slate quarry- men at Llanberis and other places in Carnarvonshire; on May 2nd at Nottingham, the first case having been imported from Hull; on May 6th, to be spreading in Buckinghamshire (where, as in 1890, the railway workmen at Wolverton were especially affected); on May 8th, at Pembroke Dock; on May 9th, to be very prevalent in Cardiff; on May 11th, at Shrewsbury and in Dorsetshire; on May 12th, in a Naval College at Devonport; on May 13th, in Flintshire and Denbighshire, and at Colchester; on May 14th, at Portsmouth ; on May 15, at Ponty- pool and elsewhere in Monmouthshire, and at Kendal; on May 16th, at Wolverhampton, and at Camborne on May 23rd. In Scotland a death from Influenza at Greenock (an introduced case) is mentioned on April 30th. In the British Medical Journalof May 9th Influenza is reported to have re-appeared in a mild form at Edinburgh, and on May 23rd at Aberdeen. In newspapers of May 9th it is reported at Dublin, being thought to have been introduced by Members of Parliament returning from London ; but the British Medical Journal of May 23rd denies its prevalence in Ireland.