Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-11
SERUM TREATMENT GROWING
USE FOUND EFFECTIVE IN GER
EBRo-SPINAL MENINGITIS.
Belief That Dread Disease Has Been
Conquered-Great Reduction
in Mortality.
From the Medical Record.

From the Medical Record.
AS the ever-growing and ever more IA
vorable reports continue to appear not
only from all parts of this country but
from Great Britain and France as we'll.
demonstrating the value Of the serum
treatment Of epidemic cerebro-sp men
nights. one is tempted to believe that this
disease has at last been conquered. New
ertheless. in spite of justifiable enthusiasm.
1t must be remembered that an infectious
disease. with mortality Of over IS per
cent. Is a matter of serious import, even
If the mortality has been reduced in Q
few years from so per cent, and compla-
cent satisfaction over what has been done
should not be allowed to interfere with
further efforts to conquer the disease.
The work of Flexner and Joblirg has been
OF great value, and these investigators
have accomplished what they attempted
the discovery Of a curative serum. But with
full appreciation of their success, no REM
edy. however specific IL may be, can ever
stamp out a contagious disease. especial
ly one SO acute and rapid in its course as
epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis. Pa
died before the serum could be admins
tered.
Controlling Infectious Disease.
The only sure method of controlling any
infectious disease is the development Of
an effective system OF prophylaxis. In
order to accomplish this. though knowl
edge Of the cause OF the disease Is an
aid. It Is not so necessary as a thorough
acquaintance with it's mode Of transmits
sion, fact well illustrated in the case Of
yellow fever. In cerebro-scinal menin-
gifts the injecting organism described by
Weichselbaum in 1887. and associated
with the epidemic form Of the disease by
Jaeger in 1895. has been carefully studied
and is an easily recognized germ. For
years, however. its mode Of transmission
from man TO man has been a mystery.
That much has been done in recent years
on TINS subject Is shown by the volu-
mlnous report by Elser and Huntoon in
the June number OF the Journal OF Med
lcal Research. In speaking OF the con-
tagiousness OF the disease, they state
their belief that 1t is carried by direct
transmission only and cite the extreme
vulnerability OF the specific micrococcus
as reason for this opinion The organ
ism. while growing fairly we'll II properly
cultivated. dies In a few hours II al
lowed to dry. fact which makes trans
mission by dust unlikely.
Theory Of Contagion.
The theory Of contagion by micrococcus
carriers" is strongly emphasized, as in
the recent New York epidemic the spe-
cffic organism was found in the nose and
| throat not only in the patients, but also
In large proportion OF those who had
come In contact with them, although they
themselves remained quite we'll. These
persons were probably not susceptible to
the disease, but were able to convey Il
to those who were. The contag Ion takes
place through the respiratory tract, and
| thence the organisms find their way to
the meninges through the blood It is
extremely difficult to remove the MI
| crococci from the nose and throat Of the
carriers" and in spite Of rigid local
treatment the organisms remain for long
periods. In the acutely Ill they are found
in the throat early in the disease. but
usually disappear after from five to ten
days.
Such are the facts ELECTED by this care
full research regarding the mode Of con-
tagion of epidemic cerebro- spinal menin-
| gifts, but the authors offer no suggestions
| as to prophylaxis This was not their
problem. 1t now remains for the sani-
| tarians to apply these facts to hygienic
| and social conditions and to devise prac-
| teal means for protection against the
disease.