Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-05-20
SLEEPING SICKNESS
Rv H. Addington Bruce

WY E have been hearing good deal lately
wv about strange disease to which the
doctors have given the jawbreaking
name of "encephalitis lethargica." More
popularity it has been called sleeping sick
ness
This name it gets from it's principal symp-
tom, the stupor or coma into which it's vic
Tins fall.
Reports of it's occurrence have come from
widely separated points. 1t is represented as
an entirely new malady, and one almost al
ways fatal in it's outcome
AS matter Of fact, recovery frequently
ensues. Nor is it by any means as new a
disease as is commonly thought.
Well-posted authorities insist that it is
merely variety of the influenza which has
been epidemic in various countries all win
ter. And the sleeping sickness is known to
have occurred in connection with earlier in
fluenza epidemics.
Ceases with comatose symptoms" the New
York Medical Record editorially points out,
"are observed in nearly every epidemic of in
fluenza, and are as truly influenza as are the
cases with pulmonary, gastric or heart
symptoms. Ditmar Finkler (1898) describes
this form as follows:
"'We may also mention the so-called coma
tose form of influenza. In the spring of
1890 the newspapers were filled with reports
that new disease, called coma sleeping
sickness, had broken out in some pans OF
Italy.
''The clinical picture resembled thaTsof a
cerebro-spinal meningitis which was not yet
fully developed "
In the preliminary stages of this distress
ing malady there usually some mild
symptoms of a catarrhal character, followed
by progressive lethargy.
The patient becomes dull and stupid, and
sleeps much of the time Also he may suf-
fer from pain in the eyes and blurred vision
and may be unable to endure light. But the
increasing drowsiness is the outstanding
symptom.
Then symptoms Of a general infectious
disease develop. The temperature rises tC
between 101 degrees and 102 degrees F., and
has ben known to go beyond 104 degrees F
The face is expressiOnless and there may be
facial paralysis. Stupor, even catalepsy, is
present.
No specific method Of treatment has been
devised, though various helpful measures
have been worked out Good nursing is in
dspensable.\
AS to the extent to which deaths occur, the
United States public health service has issued
a reassuring report, the experience OF
physicians in England, where the disease
made it's appearance last year.
Among 1853 cases, it appears, there were
fewer than forty deaths. The duration OF
the stupor varied from two or three days to
eight weeks. Convalescence was slow, com
plete recovery not being gained until perhaps
six months after the beginning of the Illness
On the one hand, then, the facts do not
justify a1armist reports concerning this So
called sleeping sickness. On the other, no
sure cure for it having been found, it's pre-
vention becomes of special Importance.
And as in the case of all forms of influ-
enza, the best preventive is the maintenance
of as high a degree of physical vigor as pos
sib1e.
The more one lives in accordance with the
laws of personal hygiene, avoiding excuses
of all kinds, exercising regularly, taking suf-
111 ~ cf0V1
and fear the less likelihood of attack by this
or any other influenza maladY.