The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1873-04-23
MisesIIaneons.
Cd
4 MEDICAL AUTHORITY ON
CEREBRO-SPENAE MESEN-
GETaS.

CEREBRO-SPENAL MENiN
GITsS.
Rejoining to astatistical state
! ment in the st Louis Mo- Globe,t ,t(
the effect that tbirty-nine cases 0
: cerebro-spinal meningitis had ter
minated fatally in St Louis during
the past week, Dr.. D. P Moore; G.
that city, gives a description oI
the symptoms and behavior OF the
epidemic, which is the cleares'
that has yet appeared in print
Says DR.. Moore:
about the causes Of this dis
ease, little or nothing is known,
But this, happily, is not true in
regard to its location and symp'
toms. is TO be regretted that
there is such diversity OF opinion
! in regard to its cure. Ny own ex'
periencc satisfies me that, as be-
tween varying schools Of hom1o-
pathic practice, the strict observ-
ance of the Hahnemannic rule is
| the only successful, and very sue
cessfuI course. Each case OF this
disease being distinctly individual,
presenting forms and shades as
various as the human face, form OF
disposition, each one requires
different remedies, and ior that
reason 1t is impractic;lblc here TO
lay down a rule.
"The first epidemic visitation OF
this disease occurred in 1906, when
it gradually spread through New
England, Canada, New York and
Pennsylvania from 1907 TO 1872.
It was again epidemic in a mum,
bcr Of the States between 104O
and 1850, and again in 1853 and
1858.
but in 1862 and 1868, during
the war, it was more widely pre-
valent. Since then it has never
altogether disappeared from the
country. In New York and
Brooklyn, at the beginning of
1872, u considerable number Of ia
tai cases was reported; but it was
epidemic that has Of late years a.
tracted the special attention OF
physicians. These epidemic visl.
tations are occasionally confined
within very narrow geographical
limits; while at other ;inos, as
was the case in France between
1887 and 1912. they spread sue
ccssivcly over extensive regions.
"Their occurrence would appear
to be altogether independent OF
any morbitic agency referable to
peculiarities of climate, season or
localities. According to Mr.. Rol'
let, who described the disease as 1t
occurred at Nancy, it presents it.
self under two forms in one there
is no sign Of lesion Of the nervous
centres themselves; no affection OF
sensation or motion, though there
arc all the symptoms Of infam-
nation OF the membranes at first
rigors, then malaise, q dining in
the ears, vertigo, violent pain in the
head and along the vertigo column,
agitation, restlessness, slight de-
lirium and sometimes moderate te-
yer. In the second form there is
affection ofthe intellectual facul-
ties, also Of the functions Of sonsa,
ton and motion, with more or less
complete abolition ofthe senses
In this latter form the appearances
upon dissections were vascularlty
Of the cerebral membrane. The
cerebrum was slightly punctursd,
but not softened. The cercbellum
was softened. Beneath the spinal
membrane there was purulent
matter, the same as beneath the
cerebral. The substance Of the
spinal cord appeared healthy.
"The>lesions here described ex'
actly correspond with those de.
scribed by physicians who studied
the disease as it prevailed at Yer
sa;lles. .Avirnon and Strasburg. Ac-
cording to DR.. Mayne's interest
ing account Of the disease as it oc,
cured in Ireland during the year
1916, the Serious membrane cover.
inc the brain and spinal marrow
was invariably found to be the
seat of extensive Inflammation.
"The first symptoms are very
formidable, and the attack is very
sudden. In large number oi
cases, the patient is in ordinary
health up to the very moment Of
seizure, experiencing no premonl
tory symtoms TO warn him Of dan
ger, the disease all AT once declar
ing itself. Very generally, how
ever, the attack is preceded by
more or less pain in the head
especially in the forehead, tenn
Piles or occiput. The pain i:
usually constant, but sometime:
remittent, or even intermittent
Pain is sometimes experienced
in the back of the neck and q
long the course Of the spine, with
q sense of soreness in the limbs
and joints.