Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 13.djvu/83

I N F I N G 73 INFLUENZA (syn. Epidemic Catarrh) is a term applied to an infectious febrile disorder of short duration, char acterized specially by catarrh of the respiratory passages and alimentary canal, and occurring mostly as an epidemic. The symptoms of this disease develop suddenly, with all the phenomena attending a severe cold or catarrh. At first there are chills or rigors, which are soon accompanied with distressing headache and tightness across the forehead, tenderness and watering of the eyes, and sneezing and dis charge from the nostrils. To these succeed heat and soreness of the throat, hoarseness, cough, and, it may be, some difficulty of breathing. The temperature is elevated, the pulse quick and feeble, and the skin, which at first was dry, becomes moist, and is said to exhale a peculiar musty odour. The digestive system participates in the disturbance, and there is loss of appetite, with thirst, vomiting, and occasionally diarrhoea. Rapid loss of strength and remarkable depression of spirits accompany these various symptoms, and are among the most characteristic features of the disease. After lasting for two or three days, the symptoms abate and convalescence begins, but there may remain, particularly in severe cases, and in persons at the extremes of life, great debility for a length of time, or the attack may be com plicated with inflammatory affections of the chest, which may prove a source of danger far exceeding that of the 1 original disease. Apart from this, influenza is not usually a very fatal malady, although some epidemics such as that of 1762 have been characterized by a severe type of the disease and considerable loss of life. The mortality is generally reckoned at about 2 per cent., but when an extensive epidemic prevails, even this proportion is sufficient to swell the death-rate largely. This disease is referred to in the works of the ancient physicians, but accurate descriptions of it have been given by numerous medical writers during the last three centuries, in connexion with epidemics which have occurred from time to time. These various accounts agree substantially in their narration of the phenomena and course of the disease, and influenza has in all times been regarded as fulfilling all the conditions of an epidemic in its sudden invasion, rapid and extensive spread, and speedy and complete disappearance. Among the chief epidemics of influenza are those of 1762, 1782, 1787, 1803, 1833, 1837, and 1847. In several of these the disease appeared to originate in some parts of Asia, and to travel west ward through Europe and on to America, resembling in this respect certain cholera epidemics, although the two classes of disease have nothing in common. In some of the epidemics influenza has spread through the whole of Europe in the course of six weeks. Wherever it appears the whole community suffers to a greater or less extent, irrespective of age or condition of life. It has occasionally appeared in fleets at sea away from all communication with land, and to such an extent as to disable them temporarily for service. This happened in 1782 in the case of the squadron of Admiral Kempenfelt, which had to return to England from the coast of France in consequence of a severe epidemic of influenza attacking his crews, while at the same time the squadron of Lord Anson, off the coast of Holland, suffered extensively from a similar outbreak. Many instances of a like kind have been recorded. Much speculation and some amount of scientific inquiry have been expended in endeavours to ascertain the cause of this remarkable ailment. The Italians in the 17th century ascribed it to the influence of the stars, and hence the name " influenza," by which the disease has subsequently been known. By some it has been held to depend on certain telluric, and by others on certain climatic conditions ; but the occurrence of the disease in all sorts of climates and localities is sufficient to negative these theories. The view which refers it to some morbific principle present in the atmosphere during an epidemic is that which has gained widest acceptance, but the nature of this infecting agent is unknown. Various hypotheses have been advanced on the subject, such as some change in the electrical condition of the air, or the over-abundance of ozone, but these have not been confirmed by observation. More probable, and more in harmony with observed facts, is the theory that in influenza, as in other epidemic diseases, there is present in the atmosphere some minute organism of specific nature, which is not only distributed over wide areas, but which when introduced into the bodies of those attacked multiplies there indefinitely, and becomes a source of infection by the breath, &c., and in this way a further cause of the spread of the disease. The contagiousness of influenza appears to be unquestionable. The treatment of this disorder is similar to that recommended in CATARRH (q.v. but special regard must be had to its weakening effects, and every effort made throughout the illness to maintain the strength by light but nutritious diet. (j. o. A.) INFORMATION, in English law, is a formal accusation of a crime committed, preferred ex officio by the attorney- general or solicitor-general in the Queen s Bench without the intervention of a grand jury. It lies only for misdemeanour and not for treason, felonies, or misprision of treason (see INDICTMENT) ; and it is properly employed against such " enormous misdemeanours " as peculiarly tend to disturb or endanger the Queen s government, e.g., seditions, obstructing the Queen s officers in the execution of their duties, &c. In the form of the proceedings the attorney- general is said to " come into the court of our lady the Queen before the Queen herself at Westminster, and gives the court there to understand and be informed that, &c." Then follows the statement of the offence as in an indict ment. The information is filed in the crown office without the leave of the court. An information may also be filed at the instance of a private prosecutor for misdemeanours not affecting the government, but being peculiarly flagrant and pernicious. Thus criminal informations have been granted for bribing or attempting to bribe public func tionaries, and for aggravated libels on public or private persons. Leave to file an information is obtained after an application to show cause, founded on a sworn statement of the material facts of the case. INFUSORIA. See PROTOZOA. INGELHEIM. Oberingelheim and Niederingelheim, two contiguous market-towns of Germany, in the Hessian province of Rhine Hesse, circle of Bingen, are situated on the Hessian Ludwig Railway and on the Salz near its con fluence with the Rhine, 9 miles west-north-west of Mainz. Oberingelheim, formerly an imperial village, has an old Evangelical church with painted windows representing scenes in the life of Charlemagne, a Catholic church, and a synagogue. Its industries are the manufacture of wine and papermaking. The population of Oberingelheim in 1875 was 2846, and of Niederingelheim 2474. Niederingelheim is, according to one tradition, the birthplace of Charlemagne, and it possesses the ruins of an old palace built by that emperor between 768 and 774. The building contained one hundred marble pillars, and was adorned with sculptures and mosaics from Italy. It was extended by Frederick Barbarossa, and continued to be a favourite residence of the emperors till 1356, when Charles IV. _ resigned it to the Palatinate. The building suffered much damage" during the Bavarian feud of 1504, the Thirty Years War, and the French invasion in 1689. Only few remains of it are now standing, but some of the pillars are still to be found in different parts of Germany. Inside the boundaries there is an old church, apparently dating from the time of Frederick I. See Hilz, Der Eeichapalast zu Ingelheim, Oberingelheim, 1868. INGEMANN, BERNHARD SEVERIN (1789-1862), a Danish poet and novelist, was born at Torkildstrup, in the XIII. 10