The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-04-09
The Csrebro Spinal Meningitis.

The alarm incident on he endemic
occurrence of few cases of this monster
disease, calls forth this communication
lin the hope at least of partially satisfy
ling a laudable inquiry and relieving
the anxious alarm amongst our people.
| Men rarely agree on any subject, this
is caused by the great diversity of mind
and matter; yet am by no means sat-
lished that intelligent men of the medi-
cal profession differ in opinion more
than those educated in other callings;
particularly when the great variety in
the constitution of the subject is con-
sidered, the constant change it is I'M
dergoing, from birth to death, in mind
and body :; the variety of climate ever
changing, regardless of alfsave natures
laws, the atmospheric and electric
causes so little understood, further than
the knowledge that peculiar conditions
create diseases of a peculiar type; the
locality constantly affected by the ex-
halations from decaying vegetable and
animal matters. Hence the subject be-
ing under control of such diversity of
causes, reasonably we cannot expect a
constant train Of symptoms to follow
any affection in all eases; nor are any
two cases of the same disease more
alike i'll all of their symptoms than are
the leaves grown OH one and the same
tree alike in appearance.
This disease has been vaguely des-
crihed as having existed i'll various
parts of E,rol since thu early part Of
the thirteenth century. 1t seems to
have appeared in this country early as
the middle of the seventeenth century;
being well described by some Of The
medical men of that early dry, Under a
variety OF names, settled upon Seueral-
ly by the predominatilg symptoms i'll
each case OF epidemic, (Which it be-
comes at tines under circumstances of
locality, &c. 1t continued 10 exist en-
demic:llly till early in the eighteenth
century, when it became epidemic in
different localities from Maine to Flori-
da. Early in the eighteenth century a
disease prevailed in Virginia, the ma
tnre of symptoms corresponding to those
Of the Cerebro Spinal Meningitis. I'll
has visited various localities up to the
present day, and receives its long aud
unpronouncable name from the fact that
it is now believed TO attack the covering
of the back portion OF The brain called
cerebrum and their continuation over
the spinal marrow in The neck an d
down The back.
1t has It's peculiariiies thus far not
understood by scientific men. 1t exi.is
in proportion 10 the number of inhabi-
tants to much greater extent in the
country than in cities, as does all mala-
rious diseases; but it here leaves its
track and selects for its victims the
young, the beautiful, those filled with
hope, and buoyed TO the realization of
early fame and distinction in some of
the many walks in life; while the aged
and indeed those in the decadency of
mind and body seem for the most part
exempt. Again, Malaria or its effects,
which i'll this climate manifest their
effects in the elimination of Intermit-
tent and Remittent levers in their va
rious grades, prevail in the months of
Summer and Autumn, while this dis
ease of which we write seldom commits
its ravages in that season, but selects
the cold damp weather of Winter and
Spring.
CAUSES.
| I believe at this date there is but one
opinion as to the cause of this disease,
that is Malaria. Malaria is by the
scientific considered to be poison srb-
tie and unperceiyable only in its effects,
produced by the decay of vegetable and
other matters, under certain conditions
of temperature and atmosphere. Why
this disease attacks those who live in
malarious districts in Winter and
Spring? Why it attacks as a rule man
from infancy till he has reached the me-