New-York tribune., 1911-03-21
MENINGITIS ATTACKS
A BACTER|OLOG|ST
Dr.. Ashley Had Been Aiding
Health Officer Ooty in Study.
ing the Disease.
SHOWS IN MALIGNANT FORM
Overwork Reduced His Vitality,
Making Him Easy Victim Of
Malady Brought Over by
Greek Immigrants.

/ Dr. Edward T. Ashley. OF Waterbury,
Conn. one of Health officer Doty's bac-
teriologists. is seriously i'll at Swinburne
Island. victim of cerebro-spinal menin
gifts. He contracted the disease while
participating in the autopsies on the
bodies Of Greek steerage passengers
brought to this port a week ago on the
Greek steamship Patras and the Martha
Washington, Of the Austro- American
Line
DR. Ashley was stricken on Sunday
/ lrous. Nurses and doctors who were In
attendance on him mad great difficulty in
keeping him in bed. He had complained
to Or. Doty on sunday of a headache.
and the Health Officer advised him TO
take a rest. Dr. Ashley had been work
ing night and day with the dread bac-
terra. and was weakened physically from
the strain.
He laid aside his task for a few hours.
but soon became seriously i'll. DR.. Doty
4
stayed by his side until lie became de-
lrious. It was about this time that the
Health officer decided positively that he
had cerebro-spinal meningitis in a most
malignant form.
Doty Takes Personal Charge.
DR.. Doty himself took the stricken man
to Swinburne Island. and has been with
him constantly. in the hospital. where
he has the exclusive attention Of two
doctors ana three trained nurses. AS
scon as DR. Doty diagnosed the case rs
meningitis he sent q. once for pr. Ash
leys parents. who live in Waterbury.
Conn.
There is no doubt whatever. said
Or. Doty last night. that DR.. Ashley
contracted the disease from his work on
the bodies Of the Greek passengers who
came here a week ago. | am greatly
shocked at this affiction. and II medical
care or science can save him Or. Ashley
viii pull through He is one of the most
faithful and efficient uien have ever
had He has been with me for over
year. and did splendid work during the
recent cholera epidemic that came here
Oh ships from the Mediterranean
The continuous work imposed upon
our bacterologists during the influx of
cerebro- spinal meningitis cases was too
much for DR.. Ashley. and, reducing his
vitality. made him victim. of the dis
ease. While these infected steamships
were i'm quarantine DR. Ashley worked
from early morning up To midnight and
then arose at a. III. To continue his
! examinations. The work had TO be
rushed. and at the same time done
carefully. and this compelled the bac-
teriologists to labor almost continuous
| ly in their efforts for results"
How He Contracted the Disease.
Asked how DR.. Ashley might have
contracted the disease DR.. Doty said:
! He most likely got the bacteria into
the membrane of his nose or mouth
/ while working on the bodies Of the
! Greeks
4 have assigned two doctors and
! three nurses 10 attend him. and they are
/ giving him the best and closest atten-
tion. The doctors at Swinhurne Island
/ are experienced in administering the
! FleNner serum. and we gave Dr. Ashley
the first treatment at midnight Sunday.
He took II well. and showed no III g. .ects
after 1t was administered. We will give
him an ,ther treatment with Flexner
serum at a. IN. Tuesday"
BROWNS BRONCHIAL TROCHES