CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1898-06-02
MEN DIE LIKE SHEEP.
Spinal Meningitis Becomes Epi-
demic in Skagway.
HunAreds of Gold Hunters sasSsah
to the Insarable Malady-Largs-
IL Due to Carelessness
of the Men.

A prominent physician of Portland
says, concerning spinal meningitis:
The disease runs in epidemics. and is
due mainly to bad sanitary conditions
1t is an inflammation of the membranes
of the spinal cord and of the brain
and is accompanied by terrible head
aches and pains in different parts OF
the body. Young, healthy persons
ere more liable to it than any other
class, and 1t attacks mnle and female
alike. The disease is accompanied by
a breaking out of purple blotcbes all
over the body, and for this reason is
sometimes called purpuric fever. There
IL no known cure for the disease, and
nine out of ten persons attacked die
In, "a hours, and sometimes in third
of that time. II one does happen tc
recover, he is left deaf OF blind, OF
afflicted in such a way that il would
have been better II he had died.
"The sanitary conditions in Skagway
are very bad. There is no drainage
whatever. all slops, etc, being thrown
on the ground. The water is very bad,
as the creeks are full of dead horses
by the hundreds. Then the cold wealth
the windows tightly closed, shutting
out all ventilation and adding 10 the
general bad health. II is a very ter
rible thing, and nothing on earth could
induce me to attempt TO do any ousi'
ness in the town. While it is probably
not contagious, the conditions that give
II TO one person will give it TO another
Just as well.
There is no doubt that the cold OF
the Alaska climate renders men easier
prey to the disease.
Up to the latter part of January the
winter. from the Arctic ocean to the
Mexican line, had been exceedingly
mild. Since then the Alaska coast has
been constantly swept by icy gales
xghich have been destructive alike tc
III and property. During this period
the Clara Nevada has been driven 70
her destruction in the Lynn canal. the
Oregon has been blown ashore. other
vessels have had minor accidents. and
many people have died at Skagway
and Dyea aud on the mountain passes
leading out of those towns TO the Kion-
dixie gold fields.
Strong indeed Is the constitution that
escapes ills in the northern regions
at this season Of the year. Few Of
the many thousands who have left Port
land, Seattle and San Francisco for the
north since the first of the year can
truthfuliy say that they arrived al
skngway in perfect health All com.
piained of some nilment-cold in the
head. stiffness of the limbs, sore throat
',acLnche. etc. The long steamer trip
5 not conducive 20 bodily comfort
seasickness is anything but pleasant,
ind lack of exercise causes ianguor
md failure of the excretory organs to
10 their duty. Scrupulous attention 10
the functions of these organs is an
essential in the treatment Of cerebro-
spinal meningitis, but whether it avaii-
As a precautionary measure is for doe
tors 20 say.
As the ma ajority of the north-bound
people come from south of the fifticth
parallel. they do not hnve any great
difficulty In acquiring { cold after the
steamer passes the northern point of
Vancouver islands and pokes her nose
into the waters of Queen Charlotte
sound. In Alaska II IL not considered
good form to kill cold with whisky,
The main reason Is that whisky In the
northern regions does more harm than
good. Another reason l. that the whisky
OF commerce. considered as a stimnlani
or as a medicine. is pure rot and is of
no value. One drink of Alnska whisky
will make a man yearn for the return
of his money. the second will cause
him &c tell all he knows TO anyone
having time and patience to listen 10
him. and the third will cause him TO
arm himself with n temahawk and go
on a murierous hunt for his wife's re-
la;ions.
Exposure to cold in Alaska, es-
pecially when men know what the re-
suit will be. is due largely to careless
ness. Men will hug q red-hct stove
for hours and toast their shins TO per-
feciion and then venture into the icy
wind with the hat on the back of the
head. the coat unbut'oned. or the neck
insuflicicn,ly protected. In the course
of a few hours they rack their minds
TO fnd out why this cold in the head.
why this weakness and other ailmenf
which are the sure forerunner of pneu-
monia. grip or meningitis. Others will
stand on street corners until the mus
cies of their feet twItch and chill
runs up the hack from cold. Others will
keep bundled all day in furs, woolen
undercloihes. heavy stockings, high
shoes and warm overshoes. with wool
en- cap pulled down over the head. leav-
ing only part Of the face exposed. In
burst of confidence in the atmos
phcric conditions they will throw open
the Goa, and put the cap in normal
position on the head. In compare
lively short time the wind is AT ohe
warm scalp and neck aud quickly works
It's way inside the clothing 10 the chest
and 20 the spine and the Foundation for
period of sickness IL cffectually laid.
Men working on the mountain passes
with their outfits are as careless as
people In the town. The lack of hos
pltal facilities AT slsarwnv gives the
meningitis sufferer bu, little show for
his life.- Portland oregonian.