The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-05-12
CALL NEW MALADY
EPIDEMIC STUPOR
Disease Misnamed Sleeping
Sickness" Is Believed to Be
Contagious.
MEDICAL EXPERTS PUZZLED
Health Authorities Declare Strange
Illness Has No Relation to "SIeep-
ing Sickness" Which Origi-
mated in Africa.

Washington-"E Epidemic stupor" is
the name the health authorities have
decided to give the new disease,
wrongly called sleeping sickness,
which sprang up a few weeks ago. 1t
has invaded eighteen American cities
and several army camps, has taken
several lives and laid hundreds under
its spell.
The scientific name of this new mall
ady is lethargic encephalitis. 1t is
not sleeping sickness" and has moth
ing to do with the real sleeping sick
ness 1t has been known for only a
few years, and its cause and origin
are even more mysterious than those
of the influenza.
The disease, when it was first dis
covered in this country, was found to
be form of sleeping sickness COM
mon in the interior parts of Africa,
but a closer observation of the symp-
toms proved this belief to be unsound.
Sleeping sickness as found in the jun
giles of Africa, is caused by the bite
of a peculiar insect, known as the
tsetse fly.
The new disease was first observed
in Austria
The first case noted in England oc-
cured February IL, 1913, and the cpl
demic, which never attained large pro-
portions, came, at least, temporarily,
to an end in June. The medical re-
search committee of England became
deeply interested in the new malady
and instituted clinical and PATHOLOGY
cal Investigations. The committee
found the disease is general in
fectious disorder, characterized by
manifestations originating in the cen
trail nervous system, of which the most
frequent and characteristic are pro-
gressive lethargy or stupor and an in
Movement of the nerve centers con-
trolling the eye muscles.
Marked by High Temperature.
Although a rise in temperature was
not observed in all of the 1874 cases
of the disease of which notes were OBJ
tanned, there seemed to be little doubt
that there is always a certain amount
of fever in an early stage. The fever
but may continue for ten or even four
teen days. 1t may fall suddenly or
gradually with oscillation. A period |
of subnormal temperature not infre- |
quently follows
Usually the first symptom is sim
pie catarrhal conjunctivitis "a mild
pink eye'') or it may be tonsilitis-
n
hest. The disease may be ushered in
by fainting attack or fit.
N marked cases the lethargy was &C
by heaviness Of the eye
ids, pain in the eyes and blurred vi
ion. Headache is common symp-
ON, and RICHNESS was characteris-
ic of the early symptoms of many
asses during the epidemic in England.
After the first stages, the symp-
oms of a general infectious disease
'ecome manifest The patient lies
q bed on the back, often unable to
make any voluntary movement on ac-
cunt of great muscular weakness;
he face is quite expressionless and
lasklike, and there may be definite
ouble facial paralysis. The patient
! in a condition of stupor, although
'ue sleep is often not obtained.
No Specific Treatment.
With regard to treatment, no spe-
fic method has been devised, and the
est that can be done is to put the
atient to bed and provide good nurs-
g. Cold sponging is often beneficial
1ring the early stages and tends to
minish the delirium. For the pain,
1mbness and tingllng of the limbs
armth is the best remedy. Consti-
ltion is obstinate and often difficult
overcome, except by enemas fol-
wed by such drugs as liquid paraf-
or phenolphtha1ein No hypnotics n
I'd no morphine or other prepare
,ns OF opium should be given. Daily
Of the mouth and antisep- a.
, treatment of the nose and mouth Vi
ould be carried out and respiratory 81
Systematically looked a,
r. The patient should be given to a
lderstand that his convalescence al
II last at least six months after the -
ginning Of the illness. ~
Officials of the United States pub CO
health service are Investigating ex
ses of the disease in several cities. W.
icy are especially anxious to keep
3 malady out of the army camps. III
e first army camp to be invaded Fl Fl
s Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va where
e death was reported out of nine flu
ses. Investigation made at the liv
mp showed that in each case the he
der had been Ill with Influenza. ca
~ SCI
me