Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-28
BERL=BERI
KILLS MAN
GERM LURKs FOR JAPANESE IN
RICE AND FISH
ASIATIC MALADY CLAIMS ONE
ORIENTAL
Disease Which Killed Many Of the
Mlkado's Soldiers Produces Inflam-
matory Changes In Nerves
of Its Victims

Dread beri-beri a disease whose
name strikes terror to Asiatics' hearts,
has claimed victim in Los Angeles.
AS in all previous instances locally
the victim has been Japanese.
Doctors of that race agree that 1t is
caused here by rice and fish which
have contained the micro-organis
which spreads the disease.
The medical dictionaries define be-i-
beri as an acute disease occurring in
India characterized by multiple in
flammatory changes in the nerves, pro-
ducing great muscular debility, a pain
full rigidity of the limbs and cachexy,
or impairment of nutrition. It's name
comes from the Cingalese word beri,
meaning weakness.
For twenty-six days Masagoro Ishi-
wata had been sick at 80 Amelia
street, which on the death eel tificate is
given as the address of DIR. J. Tanaka,
his attending physician He died at 6
o'clock Friday night and yesterday the
city authorities first learned of the ex-
istence of the disease.
In California Three Years
Ishiwata was 10 years old, single, a
rancher and had been in California
three years, according to the burial GER
tificate. He was buried yesterday in
Evergreen cemetery.
disposes Of the rumor that he had been
a soldier and brought the germs with
him from the island kingdom. During
the Russian war hundreds of Japanese
soldiers succumbed to the disease
DIR, Tanaka could not state what
caused the sockness of his patient-at
least ne failed to make himself clear
in English.
DR.. A. Nishikata, however, remarked
when Informed of the case that 1t was
undoubtedly caused by the rice or fish
of which the victim partook.
I'VE prescribe EPSON salts and
hydrochloric acid for the patients
which is all mat can be done" said he
"The disease is usually fatal"
Druggists say that hydrochloric acid
is the onlv known compound of chlorine
and hydrogen. 1t is obtained when
equal volumes of chlorine and hydro
gen are mixed and exposed to the diff
fused light of day. 1t has suffocat-
ing odor and destroys animal life.
Health Officer Explains
DIR. L. NJ Powers, health officer, said
occasional cases are heard of here
among the Japanese He added:
"Beri- beri is the bad sickness o1
Ceylon'-a disease designated by mum
erous local names. and characterized b9
general dropsy, accompanied by anemia
pam, numDnesS ana paralysis VI Ih'
lower limbs, debilitation, degeneration
OF muscular tissue, effusion into the
serous cavaties, praecardial anxiety
oedema of the limbs and body gener'
ally, small quick pulse. torpor of the
bowels and a peculiar tottering gait.
'Beri-beri is an Indian disease
though met with in South America ant
elsewhere and occurs in an acute ant
a. chronic form.
'It is accompanied by multiple neu-
ritis and it is probably caused by 6
specific micro-organism.
TT is usually incurable and the acute
form is exceedingly fatal.
1T should not be confounded with the
Sleeping sickness or f.frican lethargy
which is a malady observed in the
Congo region in which the patient has
a continuous Irresistible tendency to
sleep, usually ending fatally"