THE INFLUENZA PANDEMIC AKA THE SPANISH FLU (MEDICAL DICTATION)

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This episode consists of medical dictation in the form of letters from one doctor to another on the Influenza outbreak of 1918. It was also known as the Spanish Flu and very similar to the Covid -19 as you will hear. It is not read at any particular speed to allow everyone to be able to practice. This is meant to improve your medical terminology and writing these words in shorthand. Please pay attention to your accuracy and not speed. Thanks for listening and supporting. Transcript is below as well as the words you may have trouble with.

influenza, poorer, preventing, remedies, director, infectious, disposal, discharges, prevention, formulate, transmissible, contagious, disease, bacillus, secretions, symptoms, catarrhs, indefinite, restricted, realized, sputum, cuspidor, carbolic, burned, soiled

Dr. C.S. Kimball, 347 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago Illinois

Dear Doctor,

In view of the present epidemic of influenza, I propose to issue a small circular to reach the poorer classes in the community with information as to the best methods of preventing grippe. I should be pleased to have any suggestions from you on the subject. I desire to make the circular short, and not to suggest any remedies or methods of treatment; the only advice in that connection would be to have the patient placed in bed and to send for a doctor. Yours very truly,

Dr. Frank A. Field, Director,

Bureau of Health,

Chicago, ILL

Apart from general laws of hygiene and of hygiene of infections as to disposal of discharges, etc, I know of no mode of prevention. Your stall can formulate such rules better than I. Yours sincerely,

Dear Doctor,

Influenza is a transmissible or contagious disease. The influenza bacillus is present in the secretions from the upper air passages, including the nose. It persists in many cases after the active symptoms subside, and probably in all cases in which post-influenzal catarrhs occur for an indefinite time. The spread of the disease would be much restricted if patients suffering from it fully realized that it is spread by means of the sputum, and took proper precautions to prevent its transmission. These consist in the use of a spit-cup or cuspidor containing a 5% solution of carbolic acid; holding rags or gauze in front of the mouth and nose during coughing and sneezing, such cloths being immediately burned; and the boiling of handkerchiefs, sheets, night-clothes, and other garments soiled with the discharges, for at least half an hour. Yours very truly,

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