In France, a lot of our boys died of "flu". At autopsy, it was found they had died of typhoid fever. The physicians were not, of course, expected to find typhoid fever in well-immunized men. "Flu" was in fashion, so their diagnoses conformed to the fashion.

Thousands of "flare-ups" in case of so-called arrested tuberculosis were diagnosed as "flu". Influenza is a blanket term, which like the terms "syphilis", "rheumatism", "neurasthenia", and "chronic appendicitis", is applied to a multitude of symptom-complexes. It has no settled meaning and should be dropped from our language.

We read that the "onset" of influenza begins with fever, sometimes with a chill. The term, "onset" is a hangover from the days when diseases were entities that "attack" us. The symptoms are those of a severe cold. Indeed, we are told that "the difference between influenza and an ordinary cold is the tendency of the former to continue long after the time for a hard cold to disappear." The "victim" complains of being very weak, and in some cases, the weakness runs on for weeks and the catarrh, which is always pronounced, hangs on continuously. In pronounced cases, the mucous membrane is involved from the nose through the entire bronchial tubes; the lungs often become engorged. Pneumonia and pleurisy often develop. Delirium and prostration are often present, in those cases in which the bronchial tubes and lungs are involved. The so-called nervous forms of influenza are characterized by headache, much pain in the joints, and prostration. Other cases "develop in a manner similar to that of typhoid fever." "Intestinal influenza" is marked by much fever and by such "complications" as pericarditis, endocarditis, septicemia, peritonitis, etc.

Epidemics represent mass sickness. There is much more than the usual amount of sickness due to some added general prostrating influenza, such as war. There is an increase in all forms of illness, but one of these is headlined. Colds are more severe and last longer when the people are enervated and, as a consequence, more toxemic. They last longer and develop more complications when the patients receive more heroic treatment.

Major Austin of British Army Medical Corps, tells us of his experiences with "influenza" in 1918. He says that "during the virulent influenza epidemic in Calcutta in the cold weather of 1918, twenty of his cases volunteered to try the fasting "cure". The fasts in these cases lasted four to six days. "No drugs were administered during the treatment other than a saline purge, which was taken daily during the fasting period." He tells us that "within eight to ten days, these cases were all fit and strong enough to return to their work, and they had excellent appetites for even the plainest of meals.

His other cases did not fare so well. Of these he says: "I was not so fortunate, however, with other cases of influenza which had text-book diet --- milk, beef-tea, egg-dip, etc., from the beginning of the disease.

"Few of them escaped the text-book complications -- gastritis, bronchitis, pleurisy, or pneumonia, while one got double pneumonia and died. Most of them were unfit for duty for two or three weeks, and some very much longer."

Physicians and patients rarely realize how much the treatment is responsible for increased and prolonged suffering and for death. Physicians are unaware of the fallacy contained in their advice to "eat plenty of good nourishing food to keep up your strength." Few of them realize the truth of the statement made by a leading physician during the last century that, "thousands are annually slaughtered in the quiet sick room."

Delirium, spasm, peritonitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, heart trouble, sleeping sickness, etc., are listed among the "complications" of "influenza". These develop in those who are fed and drugged. Complications are treatment-made. Physicians should feel very proud of their ability to build pathology, to make two diseases grow where only one grew before.

The different so-called catarrhal fevers --- cold, influenza, etc., are one and the same, differing only in degree. Enervation and toxemia complicated by much intestinal decomposition are the causes. The most enervated, hence the most toxemic, have the severest cases and in this class is also seen the highest mortality rate.

Those who live prudently will not develop "influenza". Sensualists and gluttons will suffer most. Feast days --- Thanksgiving and Christmas, are followed by epidemic of acute disease. The lesson is obvious. Eat moderately and keep well.

Before the 1918-1919 pandemic, the physicians of the world knew exactly what causes influenza. The causative germ had been discovered, described, labeled and pointed out to the physicians and bacteriologists. But when the pandemic developed, the microbe proved to be a very contrary fellow. He was present where he should have been absent, absent when he should have been present and failed to produce the disease when given to volunteers in a variety of ways. Physicians and bacteriologists came to the conclusion that they had tagged the wrong microbe. After more futile search for the guilty microbe, they decided that influenza is due to a "virus", and there the matter has been allowed to rest. They are back where they started from some thousands of years ago --- diseases are due to evil spirits.

The influenza-pneumonia pandemic of 1918-1919 left a trail of death and devastation in its wake. More people died in six months than were killed in four years of war. In some localities the death rate was above 60%. Medical treatment was responsible for most of these deaths. It was a veritable slaughter that no military machine could ever hope to equal. Most of these millions of death were due to heroic dosage and "plenty of good, nourishing food to keep up strength."

The records of recoveries and the much lower death rates under Christian Science, Osteopathy, Chiropractic, Naturopathy, etc., reveal the true cause of death. "Killed by his (or her) physician" should have been carved on the tomb stones of practically all who died.

At present the sulfa drugs are being used. The country is full of people who are suffering from the effects of these drugs. They take these powerful poisons for colds, sore throats, "influenza," etc. They get well of these troubles, as has always been the case, but suffer for months and years from the drugs. Someday we will erect a monument to these victims of "medical science" and on that monument the victims of the "miracle drugs" will be prominently represented.

Whether the condition is diagnosed as a severe cold, as influenza, or as pneumonia, the fist thing that should be done is to stop eating. Absolutely no food, but water, should be allowed to pass the patient’s lips until the acute symptoms have subsided. No drugs of any kind should be resorted to.

Go to bed and rest. Keep warm. Rest, fasting, warmth, -- these are the needs. Have plenty of fresh air in your room. Under these conditions you may lie in bed and get well in a short time with no complications and no sequels.

If you have a cough, don't take any "cough medicines" to check the cough.

If you have fever, don't take any anti-pyretics to reduce or "control" the fever.

If you have pain, don't take any pain-killers (anodynes) to "relieve" your pains.

If there is diarrhea, do not take anything to stop the diarrhea. If there is constipation, do not use saline, or other purges and do not employ enemas to force bowel action.

You don't need treatment.

The fever, inflammation, coughing, etc., constitute the healing process. Just get out of their way and permit them to complete their work. Don't try to "aid nature." She doesn't need your puny aid --- she only asks that you cease interfering.

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