Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1911-06-01
SPOTTED FEVER
GROWS IN WEST
Fatal Disease Affecting Men and
Animals Takes Wider Territory.

80 per cent OF the cases terminate
atally, is not endemic TO that reg on
but is slowly spreading west and
south. making It imperative 70
start a crusade against the wood
tick that transmits the disease from
locality TO locality, is the conclusion
reached by F. c. Bishop, agent and
expert OF the bureau OF entomology
OF the United States department OF
agriculture.
The investigation Of this disease
was first undertaken by the Mon
tana state board Of health through
the late DR.. II. T. Ricketts, OF the
University Of Chicago. and II was
through his work that 1t was found
the disease was transmitted TO man
and animals by the wood tick (derma'
center venustus banks). Agents OF
the bureau of entomology took up
the investigation and have ascertain'
ed that the disease covers much
larger area OF territory than was
believed. They found that the north
4rn part OF the Rocky mountain re-
gion is the territory principally in
ested, but the river valleys and
sagebrush plains to the west are mo {
or less heavily infested, and on the
eastern edge Of the Cascade mouu-
aims the spotted fever tick has
been found but never to the west
Of the Cascade divide.
Thrlves In Rocky Mountains.
The infested area includes the
western half Of Montana, all of Ida.
no. hte eastern half Of Washington,
oregon, and Nevada, the northern
CALF of Utah, the western half Of
Wyoming and Colorado and small
riangularshaped area In the north
ern central portion of New Mexico.
rhls is merely the present area of
the district infested. 1t may be.
come larger In fact" says Mr..
Bishop. there is good reason to
suppose that Rocky mountain spott-
ed fever may occur and be transmit
cd to man in any region where this
species of tick Is present If the dis.
ease is once introduced into To-
callty by tick from disease-infect-
ed region or by man or some other
animal susceptible to the disease"
The pioneer wor kin coping with
the disease has been done by Mon
Jana, and, so far, it is the only
state that has appropriated a penny
20 conduct Investigations. The first
important. step forward was the dis
5oyery that the tick is responsible
or the transmission Of the disease.
The next important step will bel
AIKEN this year The state board
u health, which has been given an
annual appropriation of $4,000 to car
~ on the work, has practically com.
pleted arrangements to continue the
study of the disease through the |
staff of the University of Chicago.
and especially to produce an antitox-
IN serum. All sorts of treatments |
nave been tried, but none has proved
effective.
Fatality Great in Bitter Roots.
The virility of the disease varies.
lbs most yirulent form occurs in the
Bitter Roots, where from 20 to so
Der cent Of the cases terminate fat.
lily, while in southern Idaho there
s a mortality of about per cent.
rhe cases of the disease found in
,arts of Idaho. Wyoming, Utah, Ne
ada, Oregon and Colorado seem to
&c OF this less yirulent type.
The tick carrying the disease
Gems to reach its highest develop ,
ient and occurs in greatest numbers I
I an altitude between 5000 and
coo feet. although specimens have I
cen collected from slightly over a
DO feet to nearly 5000 feet above I
"a level. 9
The distribution of the tick, ac- a
lrding to the bureau of biological s
frsey, corresponds very closely to (
Ie area In which Is found a sub. I
mus of the ground squirrels, the n
'lobotis. Its abundance is also n
'eatly influenced by such protec- I,
on US is afforded by timber. Where d
ere is much fallen timber and Il
ush. ticks have been found to be c;
pecially abundant. The immature -
ks have been found to feed al
ost exclusively ON the small mann
ais. and adults on the large domes
animals, Hence" observes Mr.
shop. these classes OF hosts great
influences the number of ticks
curing In a given region.
Urges Steps to Control.
He concludes 1T is not desired
cause undue alarm regarding th|
niger from Rocky Mountain spott
fever Since, however, the maladJ