El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-02
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

effort made to inOculate monkeys with
the infection Of BrilIs disease after
they had recovered from attacks OF
typhus infection. Here again immun-
fty followed pointing inevitably to
the conclusion that BrilPs disease and
typhus fever are one and the same
The Mexican Disease.
1t seems to the investigators that
the BrilIs disease Of New York IS OF
undOubted European origin, so that It
follows that the typhus of Europe and
the tabardillo Of Mexico are idenu-
cal. Having determined the identity
of Brills disease with typhus, one OF
the next considerations is the employ
ment of effective means to wipe out
the infection The monkey again has
been the medium Of demonstration
The experiments have taken the form
Of permitting monkeys to be bitten
With the parasites from injected per-
sons, just as the soldiers and doctors
before them permitted themselves to
be bitten BY the yellow fever mosquito
at Havana
The result Of these experiments has
been TO prove cOnclusively that the
parasites are responsible for the COM
municatiOn Of the disease. Monkeys
which have been bitten by parasites
known TO be infected have contracted
the disease, while those not bitten by
infected parasites have not contra cted
IL Nothing is known definitely as to
whether the germ OF the disease goes
into the parasite to undergo a pro-
cess Of incu batIOn or not but studies
along this line will be made.
The studies made IN the couse OF
the investigation Of Anderson and
GoldDerger again prove that cleanli-
ness IS next to goodness, and also that
a rigid Observance Of the known prfn-
c ci OF sanitary science means the
elimination OF infectious disease It IS
TINS that accounts for the fact that
typnus fever is a disease Of the slums
ahq OF the hovel, and which, for sew
eFai generations has seldom broken in
70 respectable society With proper
personal hygiene the parasites cannot
exist and without them typhus is not
prOpagated-
Is Disease OF Highlands.
The discovery Of the responsibility
clear many points concerning which
there was mystery years ago. For
instance, typhus fever does not exist
IN low, tropical regions. 1t is essen
italy disease OF the highlands in
tropical countries and of cool climates
This IS accounted for by the fact that
the body parasites VIII not flourish in
not regions. The Identification CT ty-
phus fever IN the United States and
OF the means Of its transmission puts
dltIerenJ light on many of the mvs-
terlous epidemics variOusly known as
Jail fever and ship fever" 'putrid
have not occurred except in unsani-
tary surroundings and where all the
laws OF personal hygiene were wholly
neglected
The girst recognized outbreak OF ty-
plus fever IS believed to have occurred
in Cyprus in the first quarter Of the
18th century. an epidemic which later
swept over all italy. Tt was this dis
ease which ravaged the army OF
Charles V. at the siege OF Metz. in
1S16-1S1S typhus ragged throughout
England and Ireland. IN Dublin a
third Of the population was attacked. /
In 1846-1847 there were 1900, 900 cases
in England and Ireland. In the Rus
sian army during the TurcO- Russian
war more than One-half the entire
force was attacked. over 200. 700 con
tracted the disease and nearly half
died. It is now practically unknown
in the armies OF the leading nations.