The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-05-01
AFTER MENINGITIS.
Physician Hopes to Corral Dread
Disease.

| ner, of the Rockefeller institute for
| medical research, at Sixty-sixth
street and the East river, to trace
| the virulence of cerebro-spinal men,
nights and discover a check, has used
innumerable mice, guinea pigs and
rabbits, and, as last resort, to make
his Investigations more directly APP
plicable to the human species, he has
put thirty-six monkeys to the test,
making the most minute scientific
deductions from the symptoms
shown. The monkeys were chosen
because, as DR.. Flexner says, they
more nearly approach man in his
upright position. A practical anti
toxin will be brought out as a re-
suit of the research. it is hoped.
The beginning of DR.. Flexner's
work was after the cerebro-spinal
meningitis epidemic during the win
ter of 1904 and the spring of 1905.
In the period Of the epidemic there
were about four thousand cases. The
deaths numbered 1929. This tre-
mendous fatality caused scientists
all over the world to take up the sub
ject of finding remedy, and Dr.
Flexner. in his position as head of the
most finely equipped research lab
oratory in the world, felt impelled
to be in the van. Dir. Ftexner want
ed to place before the people a csrs-
bro-spinal meningitis antitoxin.
The health department went to
DR.. Flexner's assistance. DR.. w. H.
Park, of the archaeological depart
ment, gave DR.. Flexner all the data
he required. The animal stores were
drawn on for live specimens.
The germ has the remarkable
name of Diplococcus intracellularis.
Every experiment seemed to show
that its life was short. 1t was also
shown that the germ was to be found
in the nose and the pharynx, and
hence easily communicable. 1t was
found later, however, that although
the germ in itself, without atten-
ton, might be of short life, under
certain conditions it's period of ex-
istence was not limited by a few
months. Cold is deadly to it.
DR.. Flexner says of his expert
ments:
81 have studied it's (the germ ac-
ton upon mice, guinea pigs, rabbits
and monkeys. Different strains of
the diplococcus were injected into
different regions of the body to de-
termine the fatal doses and the path
illogical effects produced. In the
cases of the monkeys the innocula-
lions were made directly into the
spinal canal, in order to reproduce
the symptoms and LESSONS of cerebro-
spinal meningitis in man.
DR.. Flexner believes that fresh
guinea pig serum can destroy all
the germs present, with the impor-
tant provision that the number shall
not be too great.
1t was only after other animals
had proved to be unsatisfactory that
~
Some died in fifteen minutes after
innoculation, others lived for longer
periods. All, however, showed that
the germ with which they were in
noculated was of a most deadly
character. AS an example, the fol-
lowing will show the careful scrut-
my kept by the doctor and his assis-
tants on the animals under obser-
walton:
Monkey No. 3.-April Is, a. M,
innoculated by lumbar puncture with
two loops suspended in salt solu-
ton of "Bingley" culture of the dip
lococcus from spinal fluid; p. M,
animal sick; sits on bottom of cage;
9 p. M, very sick; crouches ON bot
tom of cage, with head depressed;
moves slowly on being disturbed.
April 16, 8 p. M, still alive; head
down almost to level of floor: little
later the monkey is lying on one side
and is passing through a CONFUSION.
The convulsive seizures follow each
other at short intervals. and are ex-
cited by sudden noise or by contact;
3 p. M, commissions still occurring,
lumbar puncture yields small guam
tity of bloody fluid, which on micro
scopical examination shows many
polynuclear leucocytes containing
typical diplococci: 10 p. m, conyul-
sions continue. Animal died during
the night; probably survived about
forty-three hours.
The presence of nasal infection
caused the gravest concern. If the