The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1907-02-20
SPINAL MENINGITIS.
Ogden Standard.

Ogden Standard.
The diplococcus intercellularis Is re.
sponsblc for considerable consterna.
tion among Salt Lake laymen and OF nc
little perplexity among the medical
profession. This organism with the un.
pronounceable name Is tn, germ which
causes cerebro. spinal meningitis the
disease which during the month OF
January OF this year caused more
deaths In Salt Lake city than have
been caused by the once formidable
disease, smallpox, since les first appear
ance In that city, While meningitis
is only sporadic In its manifestation
and has therefore not become as wide
spread as smallpox, the fact that 10
per cent Of the cases that have devel
oped since January first have been
fatal will show why the public is be-
coming concerned and why the medi.
cal profession is preparing to wage a
systematic battle against the disease.
At its next regular meeting, which
Is to be held one week from Monday,
the medical society will have a sympo-
stun on meningitis Several OF the
most prominent doctors in Salt Lake
city will enter into the discussion. Pa.
pers on subjects that will include all
of the various phases Of the disease,
such as its history, its cause, its pre-.
yentiop, its treatment. etc, will be
presented. Afterwards the subject
will be discussed at length, and such
steps will be taken In the matter as
may seem desirable.
Meanwhile. some OF the information
CLEANED from the members OF the pro.
fession as individuals may prove valu-
able in combating the disease, for IL
must be conceded that in waging a
battle with disease much depends on
the publlcs intelligence. BY consid-
ering the experiences of several OF the
physicians in dealing with the disease,
it Is possible to make some interesting
deductions which show the conditions
tina favor the development Of men,
nights.
For instance, one OF the doctors has
under treatment the case OF boy
aged l3 years Some time ago this
youth became interested in roller skat.
ing. He secured pair OF new skates
aud determined to master the entire
art in one day. He spent the entire
day at the rink and returned late In
the af'ern o al"os exhausted. Be.
cause NJ ~" s"v'~r strain he was not
able 20 sleep, and arose next morning
with aching muscles and without ap-
petite. A few hours later he was con-
fined to his bed with a well.developed
case OF meningitis, Another case was
that OF an nuctioneer, who, after an
unusually strenuous day, returned IA
his room, spent u restless night, and
next day was stricken with meningitis.
Still another case was OF iandlady at
Bingham, who, after a quiet season,
attempted TO board forty miners, be.
sides caring for large family. These
three cases received prompt attention,
and tho patients are now on the road
toTcrulcry, Still another case In point
is that OF a delivery man, During the
recent muddy weather his team be.
came stranded, causing him TO over
exert himself He became afflicted
with meningitis the same day and died
within forty.eight hours
From these cases Il will be seen that
extraordinary exerllon at least fayors
the development OF the disease, II 1t Is
not q predisposing cause. To partcu,
larize, in all OF the cases cited 1t will
be noticed that the work in which the
patients we're engaged before the dis
ease became manifest was such as ex
ercised the respiratory tract, and 1t Il
possible that the breathing of unusual
quantities of cold air has much TO dc
with bringing on the attack,
Spinal meningitis, In its mildeI
forms, closely resembles la grippe; 10
fact, some authorities maintain that
the germs OF the disease are Identical,
but that the meningitis germ develops
under more favorable conditions, and
shis causes a more violent disease.
From this II might be thought that II
is difficult 20 distinguish between the
two diseases but such is pot the case.