The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-11
Unusual Disease AffectsPrinc-
George Man, Who Is Place
cd in Petersburg Hospital
Where Diagnosis Is Made

y From thinly- settled section Of
4 Prince George county has come a case
OF sickness which has created a mild
I, sensation in health circles and which
has set the States machinery to work
TO prevent the spread of the disease.
Typhus fever was the diagnosis OF the
> physician in charge Of the case, and
this diagnosis. confirmed by the eX-
perts OF the State health department;
\ and the United States public health
service, was officially announced Nes-
terday at the health department
T!phus fever is extremely rare in
Z the United States and the discovery
sgof this case Is regarded as one of
the most interesting events in the re-
I cent istory of the State health de-
permanent. The case In question has
practically recovered. bur the method
by which he contracted The disease is
being carefully studied. The patient
was taken violently i'll, with high
7. fever, while at work In Prince George
county. and was hurried To the nos
pital in Petersburg. Physicians there
became suspicious OF the symptoms
+ and sent without delay fer experts OF
sefhe State health department, The
7fatter thought the case was typhus,
y but decided 10 call in an expert of
The United States government TO con-
Arm the diagnosis.
Make Careful Diagnosis.
4 Health Commissioner Williams COM
municated without delay with Sur
geon-Generat Blue, Who sent Or. Jo-
ssph Goldberger to assist the States
i officers. DIR. Goidberger went with Dr.
Williams 10 Petersburg on Sunday.
equipped for careful study Of the
{ case. BY Monday his diagnosis was
almost positive. and Or GoIdberger
wi az. 4 SOS 9ry1 ~
freeman for further examination
of the case.
Finding that the case came from
\ Prince George county. the health Of
hcer lost no time ia motoring there
They found the family of which the
man was a member. and learned
from them the onset OF the disease
They then made careful survey NJ
.ne COMMUNITY to ascertain II anv
other cases had been reported. but
were unable to and any record Of sim
thar complaints.
AS laboratory tests have confirmed
the diagnosis. the health board has
decided to make a very thorough in
vestigatfon Of the neighborhood where
the disease appeared ur-E Free ts4ass
will leave this morning for Prince
George county with assistants, and
will carefully study all suspicious
eases Health officers believe # not
unlikely that few more scattered
eases or the disease will appear. hut
they do not regard the outlook as
in any way threatening. They be
lleve that with the present knowledge
. of typhus aud the methods by which
II Is spread the disease can be held
in check without difficulty
Known A. jail Fever.
Typhns fever was for many centu-
90 rag y4s.d ~ raj
plaques affecting mankind, Appear
lng in crowded filthy quarters. 1t was
-<Iartie ulariy prevalent IN PRISONS ships
and jails. a fact which gave IL the
popular name OF ship" or Jail fever 90
This was the disease which played
with French and American prisoners
In England during the Revolution. and
which was likewise responsible FOR
many memorable prison horrors
In recent years. 81 sanitation has
advanced. typhus has lost its vtruleut
character, In Mexico the disease in
mild type Is common bat II is SO
4 rare in the United states that 81 sin
gla case arouses much interest. While
health officers naturally would regret
to seq typhus become seated in this
state. they are not alarmed as its ap-
pearance, especially as the methods
by which IL Is spread are now we'll
known. DR. Goldberger, who exam
fned the present case was ore az
the experts VINO discovered that ~
thus fever was carried only by body
yermiu. a discovery which has great
~ simplihed The fght in the disease.
Where vernlin "sn DE controlled. the
disease is not likels Ia spread and can
generally he confined 10 the, FIRST
case.
The origin of the Prince George
~~asc III crsating much speculation
among hsaitn officers Ana phN sis san-
I and Will be orr az tne matters wnieh
will be Investigated hv Or Allen Free
man His reports VIII he awaited with
interest