342 THE NEW WORLD OF SCIENCE 



only by that of Plague in London in 1665 and that of yellow 

 fever in Philadelphia in 1793. 



The Plague killed 14 per cent, of London's population in 

 seven months' time. Yellow fever destroyed 10 per cent, of 

 the population of Philadelphia in four months. In seven weeks 

 influenza and pneumonia killed 3.1 per cent, of the strength at 

 Camp Sherman. If we consider the time factor, these three 

 instances are not unlike in their lethality. The Plague killed 

 2 per cent, of the population in a month, yellow fever 2.5 per 

 cent and influenza and pneumonia 1.9 per cent. 



In four months typhoid fever killed 1.5 per cent, of the sol- 

 diers encamped in this country during the war with Spain. 

 Influenza and pneumonia killed 1.4 per cent, of the soldiers in 

 our camps in 1918 and it also covered a period of four months. 



During the Winter of 1917-18, Camp Pike showed the high- 

 est death rate of the larger camps; this was due for the most 

 part to pneumonia to some extent following measles. In four- 

 teen weeks Pike lost 0.9 per cent, of its strength. This is about 

 one third of Sherman's loss, but the deaths at Sherman oc- 

 curred in one-half the time. In the Winter of 1917-18, Camp 

 Beauregard showed the highest weekly incidence for measles. 

 It amounted to an annual admission rate per 1000 of 2,700. 

 In the fall of 1918 Beauregard had an influenza admission rate 

 during one week of 15,000. The 1917 epidemic looks insig- 

 nificant compared to that of 1918 and yet at the time it was 

 regarded with grave concern. Philadelphia headed the large 

 cities in influenza fatality in this country, losing 0.8 per cent, 

 of its population. This is about one-fourth of the loss at 

 Sherman. 



The pandemic of influenza in 1918 seems to have been more 

 closely associated with the pneumonias than appears in any 

 previous pandemic. From reports sent to the Surgeon Gen- 

 ral's Office, it appears that uncomplicated influenza was not 

 by any means a fatal disease and that the high death rate was 

 due to the pneumonias which followed. Pneumonia is a seri- 

 ous disease at all times. Recent records for the United States 



