TOPICS OF THE DAY.
THE INFLUENZA.
Tile winter has already been prolific of extraordinary occurreneee, which have been manna to those watchful waiters upon Provi- dence whose craft is to turn diseases into commodity—the penny- n-liners. First, there was the " tremendous hurricane," that whistled the chimney-pots down the wind and sprinkled the pavement with tiles, 44 making the black one red." So choked were the columns of the Daily Papers with accounts of the damage done by it, that for the next two or three days it was like reading a survevor's schedule of dilapidations. Next came the snow- storm, which, as the gale had done before, in vain taxed the re- collection of that oracle of marvels the "oldest inhabitant" (whose authority seems strengthened by the badness of his memory, that being regarded as a proof of superannuation.) to find a parallel. And now, ere yet the traces of the snow have well disappeared from the face of the country, or the disasters consequent upon it from the journals, comes a petty pestilence, running through " all manner of streets," tripping up everybody's heels and laying them on their backs, making the Metropolis one vast infirmary, and every house a sick ward. Some malignant zephyr must have breathed nit epidemic into the atmosphere, and people with one accord fall ill extempore. Since the Cholera took London in its deadly route, we have not had so universal a visitation of sick- ness. Happily, however, its effects are slight and transient; and we may indulge in a smile at the ludicrous image of a whole population of valetudinarians, with night-capped heads, swallow- ing pills and pot ions,—for, though the doctors' bills are augmented, the Nils of mortality are not. The general inconvenience that k experienced in every household and all places of business, arising from a comparatively trivial cause, sti ikes one as an absurdity. It is like a burlesque of DE Foa's picture of the plague. 'Change is half-deserted, and the merchants who are able to take up their accustomed station seem of drooping cheer. The Stock Ex- change 'lawless are fain to spare their throats ; and with many it is " settling-day " with their stomachs. Tightness of the chest is the prevailing symptom on the Money-market : passengers in omnibuses complain of being bruised all over ; difficulty of breath- ing is experienced at the Adelphi Theatre; and so early as Wed- nesday week there was a general coughing at Covent Garden, which has since been followed by fits of sneezing and cold shivers, accompanied by general languor. These are the prevailing symp- toms of the disorder, speaking from personal experience and com- mon report : and we fancy we see the invalid reader nod assent, as he sits propped up in bed with pillows, reading the Spectator, which his wife has just brought up to him, neatly folded and cut, and carefully dried at the fire, for fear of the damp. The "Influ- enza " is the prevailing "topic of the day." Everybody has either got it, or had it, or expects to have it ; and every body of course talks of it.
Bulletins of the state of whole classes of the community are issued. Many hundred policemen are said to be on the sick- list—it cannot properly be called the policeloree now ; it is to be hoped that a proportionate number of rogues are " prevented from pursuing their usual avocations." The want of Aldermen will be severely felt at the City Police-offices, and of the other Great Un- paid at Petty Sessions. Commissioners of Bankrupts will be more " absent " than ever; and great will be the number of causes put at the bottom of the paper through the absence of attornies at the Courts of Law. The number ot Bank-clerks invalided, of Inanu- factories wholly or partially at a stand-still for want of hands, of shops destitute alike of customers and shopmen, has been hitherto chronicled in part: but it is thought that the attempt must be dis- continued, from a want of compositors enough to "set up" the ac- counts in type—we do not speculate on the possibility of there being no caterers of the intelligence. We should not be surprised, however, to see some paper appear with a blank where the leading article should be, and an apology on the score of Intluenza,—fer even editers and contributors are not invulnerable : and, as we write this, a vehement apprehension comes across us, that the elkets of lefluenza Islay be visible in our pnges otherwise than in this mention of the topic.
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