New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-03
SPOTTED FEVER INBOSTON
Drs. Councilman and Brougk Declare
Disease Nou-COutagious.

Disease NOH-COntagious.
Boston April (speciaD-Dr William T. cour-
Gilman. the smallpox expert and professor az pan
ology at Harvard has talked about spottes S.,s-
OF cereoro-spinal meningitis. which has cau4-a IN
many deaths in New-York. Philadelphia ana New
England cities within the last few weeks. He Is
the highest Acknowledged authority on the srrfaof
Meningitis We have always with US" said Dr.
Councilman. "and know OF nothing like an spf-
defnic here at present. We had many more cases
or eereoTO-sDinal meningitis seven or EIGHT years
ago than we have now, 50 you can zee what havoc
It can cause when IL really Is epidemic. It is TIM
possible for deas % carry the germs They rqva
nothing to do with this disease
People can do nothing 70 avert the disease
though OF course cleanliness Is always safeguard
against any disease. II is actively contagious
IL Is more common IN the army among the trooua
than anywhere else because you have there a large
aggregation OF men brought together who are or
the susceptible age-that IS between fifteen and
thirty years Of Gge. Above thirty years old the
cases Of cerebro-spinal meningitis are rare. Il ia
a disease peculiar to children and young people.
AS TO how Il originated IS more than I can answer
NO man can tell II contagious il IS only mildly So
There was an epidemic OF meningitis IN Nassa-
ehusetts In 1887. wnen SIS persons largely children
died from the disease. Since then Il has decreased
gradually. 1888 showing only 259: 1899 90. and In
1893 the disease dropped 156 fatal cases Boston
had the largest number in the epidemic year. U.s.
FROM 1881 to 1880 about 11s0 persons IN the State
died from the disease OF whom 1ls were under ons
year old and 1sS between twenty and sixty years.
Dr. Councilman declined 70 talk about the dls-
coveTy OF Or. HelmUth in NeW-YoTE that SrsDan-
Ming the skull would provide relief n not actual
cure. he wished to know more about the methoa
Of handling the cases The State Board Of Health
advises the use of diphtheria antitOxiu. because
from injections OF this the best results have been
obtained. That this is not always cflcacious hovv-
ever. is shown by the case OF Miss Fiorencs Hama
ford. private secretary OF Mayor Eastman. of Lynn.
Antitoxin injected into her. very largo nun
Der OF units being used. but she died altar ave
hours illness.
Physicians In SomerviIIe Lynn, CambridEs 5o.-
ton. WATERFOWL. Lowell and many other manu-
featuring centres are alarmed over the situation
and despite the doubt existing as 20 the danger
from cOntagiOn, cases wherever found isolated
as much as possible Boards OF health have Issued
orders for private funerals OF the Victims with
quarantine almost strict IN diphtheria scarlse
fever or smallpox deaths. Free antitOxin q being
literally supplied by the State Board OF Health.
which is also conducting rigid Investigation into
the cases, with view to determining the cause 0e
the disease and formulating some means OF SUCCESS
fully combating IT,
/ DR.. David D. Brough. OF the Stats Board OF
Health. noted brain specialist declares with Dr..
/ Councilman that the disease is not eontagiOus. IA
says: EFT is not surprising TO and a few deaths
from cerebrO-spinal meningitis this time OF year
The disease usually follows a hard winter. where
| there has been suffering from cold and lack OF
/ nouTshment. II is found most frequently among
u
\ higher than in smallpox Although the disease 81
/ called spotted fever there are very few cases
where the patients snow spots. II is quite aS apt
to be discovered in houses where the sanitary con-
ditOns perfect II is where they are not, and
1t has not been firmly established IN the minds OF
/ physicians what causes IT. In some cases Qufnins
\ has been used quite freely this having tho prop
\ erty Of reducing the formation OF pus in the nerve
centres on account Of its action on the blood IL
the bov ana eo1serysS ne t f o1 ss 0I
/ iOdide is used freely-abOut fifty grains day In
/ zen gram dOses. rms tenoS 70 absorb the eNuda-
/ tons or 1nflamed Serious me nbraneS. such the
/ brain and tissues. But some authorities
/ claim this does little good in acute stages Of the
\ disease. A little morphine is administered to ease
| the pain The patient is kept packed in ice bags
Il around the head and body above the waist line.
/ Below this he is completely surrounded with hot
/ the region affected and the heat draws It to the
lower part OF the body The whole effect IS to i'm
/ pede the flow OF blood to the iniamed parts.
| The room is kept rather dark and a heavy
bandage OF gaIze is kept over the patients eyes.
/ which frequently have the affection badly The
| eyeGdS are swollen and the eyebals much so
/ that they pTOtrUde from the head. The baudage IS
kept moist and the eyes are batned every hour In
/ a solution Of cocaine bOraX and camphOr water.
/ wash being used every two hours"
Such is the treatment being used successfully on
| the road to recovery DR. Councilman is taking
/ much interest in the results Of this treatment.
which is being given at the Frost Hospital in
/ Chelsea on a Hebrew lad named James Goldman
One infaltble test of the disease is mentioned by
the experts. 1t IS bending the leg OF the patient
| at the knee drawing It close up 70 the body ana
/ then attempting to straighten out the leg at the
knee joint A we'll person do It, A person
afflicted with the spotted fever viii develop hitch
| yield. even though the whole weight OF the body
/ comes upon it. The disease is likely to leave a
about walking. or affection OF the ears. eyes or
throat