Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-03-14
CerebrO-Spinal Meningitis.

WASHINGTON, March G-Thcrc have
been two or three very sad cases here Of
the sudden prostration Of young and
seemingly healthy persons by the awful
and mysterious disease known as cerebro
spinal meningitis. One was the case of a
son of ex-Secretary Blaine, who was
while in apparently perfect
health, and another is the case of young |
lady belonging to a well-known New
York family who was suddenly prostra-
ted while on visit to Arlington last week
and who still lies in Il most critical con-
dition.
Moved by the interest which this sad
story has excited in New York, Il repor
ter Of the World was sent to call upon
several prominent physicians yesterday to
ascertain from them the exact nature of
cerebro spinal meningitis. DR.. Mcbride
said: "Ccrebro spinal meningitis is an
Inflammation of the brain and the spinal
chord The disease is often epidemic and
endemic, and is then due to some peculiar
poison, probably of telluric origin. 1t
also occurs sporadically, and may be due
to SEINE poison present at the place where
q single case occurs. There are three
forms of the diseasc-thc Illuminating,
which may cause death in twenty-four
hours: the ordinary acute form, which
may last from three to ten days, and the
sub-acutc, or chronic form, which may
extend over weeks and even months. 1t
is ushered IN with body pains and severe
backache in the verge of the neck as well
as in the small of the back, and these
pains are accompanied by stiffness of the
muscles of the back and often of the OK
tremitics, with more or less headache.
When accompanied by any decided Gle
walton of the temperature it often begins
with a severe chill. One of its synonymcs
is spotted fever, brought on through the
recurrence Of that symptom in one-third
of the cases. 1t is an eruption differing
in different cases. there being no specific
eruption observable in all. Commissions
are of frequent occurrence in the course of
the disease and spasms such as bend the
body backwards, forwards and sideways
Sometimes it is attended with paralysis of
the eye and other muscles, and frequent
ly there are unfortunate results from the
disease-such as the destruction Of the
nerve Of hearing, the complete destruc-
ton of the eye itself through liberation, or
else of the optic nerve, and frequently by
mutual impairment. 1t is supposed to
have in endemic origin, but that is
question which has never been satisfacto
rily settled. The treatment that has prov
ed most successful here consists in the
use of quinine and iodines, and the appli
cation Of counter irritants that may relax
the chords of the back and neck. The
last epidemic of any consequence oc
cured in 1871. Like yellow fever, 1t is
not contagious, but if you live in the
place where it exists you are very liable
to contract it.
DR.. John c. Peters said: 'There has
been decided variance Of opinion as to
the cause of cerebro spinal meningitis. /
have always been inclined to the belief
that it was one of the great classes Of
filth diseases, such as scarlet fever and
diphtheria. 1t is combination of acute
rheumatic inflammation with a typhoid
contracted in filthy places. Instances
have occurred in which it has appeared in
the detached houses occupied by the bet
ter classes, but examination has generally
revealed the fact that sanitary defects had
existed. The great epidemic of 1871 arose
among horses in filthy stables. They ap-
peared to be clean, but it was discovered
that they were not drained and had no
connection with the sewers. The symp-
toms are sudden onset attended by fever
and pain, together with stiffness of the
neck. The intlammatory parts are the
membranes at the spinal marrow, as the
name of the disease indicates. The blood
becomes quickly contaminated and blush
spots appear on the skin, such as accom-:
pany typhoid fever showing it to be a
true blood disease, as an Inflammation.
Among the diseases which may be and
probably are not infrequently mistaken
for this disease is true military tubercular
Inflammation OF the membranes of the
brain and spinal marrow. Military tuber
cles are very small little nodules, often
scarcely as large as a very small pin head,
and arc mostfrequently found in the men,
branes at the base and sides of the brain
and in the upper part of the spinal men,
branes. The symptoms are often strange
ly like those of cerebro-spinal meningitis,
because the two diseases are seated in the
same localities and irritation and inflam-
nation attend them both. Tubercles are
OF course most common IN scrofulous per-
sons and those with consumptive tenden-
cies, as tubercles are the basis of true con-
sumption. Persons who have undergone
great fatigue of the brain and mental
worry, so as to produce irritation and con-
gestion of the brain, may also get menin-
gifts with or without exposure to cold and
wet or foul air, or all three"
Now they speak of crude petroleum as
a remedy for consumption; better not try
it, but take DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup,-thc
standard cough remedy of our age. 1t is
agreeable to the taste, never fails to cure,
and costs only 25 cents bottle.
INSTRUCTIVE READIN0.-Some of the
testimonials from different people relative
to Thomas Electric Oil, and the relief it