East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-02-25
SLEEPING DISEASE
FOLLOWS EPIDEMIC
ITALIAN DECLARES
Attacks Chiefly Persons Who
Are in Run Down Condition
and Relationship to Malady
is Conclusion.


ROME. Feb Sleeping sickness
or sleeping headache, as the italian
scientists prefer to call the malady
which appeared in Rome and several
other Italian cities. is believed by
Professor Giuseppe Sanarelli the dis
itlngushed Italian bacteriologist, to be
the same as that which followed other
waves of influenza. Pope XIII. died
from influenza in 1890. The after ef-
fects of the epidemic at that time
were so baneful that his successor,
Benedict XIV. waived the fasting of
churchmen during Lent and similar
action was taken by Pope Leo Kill.
in 1890. when there was another wave
OF influenza or grippe.
Professor Sanarelli. who has been
studying the disease, says that the
best way to avoid sleeping sickness is
to keep the powers of resistance up to
The highest point, as it seems to attack
chiefly persons who are in a run
down condition. He also warns the
public not to be unduly alarmed about
the disease, and says he is unwilling
to concede it is highly communicable
or contagious until the actual cause OF
the malady is determined. And he
docs not think the germ will be dis
covered until after extensive exper'-
mentaiion with the brains of monkeys.
such an expensive work that ~ can
be carried on only VIII: thP aid of the
millions OF scme LEiianthropic million
aire Iho John T.. ;rCfetcl'eI.
Professor Cerarclf says because of
the sporadic appearance of tie disease
it is reasonable to assume that many
persons carry the germs but are i'm
mune to the disease until there is
SOME sudden let down in their physi-
cal condition which overcomes their
power OF resistance.
As the malady always makes its ap-
pearance al the sanlc season as infan-
tile paralysis aud cerebro-spinal men
ingitis. or spotted fever. and as It per-
sists in rcappearIng occasionally be-
tween epidemios. Professor Sanarelli
says it is not strange that it is ire
quent1y believed t. be identical with
them. HoweN or. he thinks it is quite
n distinct disease. as it is confined
chiefly to adults and does not leave
the serious effects of cerebro-sDinal
The maiady has been diagnosed in
widely scattered Iarts of the world
IN l.1a, 1slN ana INlt. Al ledSl Iuu
cases were reported in 1918, but it
died out in Juno. Until this year it
had not beer reported III Italy since
1892 and 1879 when it sfpeared in
Ma 1tau. Many persons lied then aft (
rr = few ;aNe. sometimes zen hours I
NJ lethnreic sleer which &C clo not be I
overcome EL1cal ia also ha" an Cpl |
lemic at that time, and cases occur
red iI the United States.
in most cases the illness begins with /
mental depression, which is followed /
by slee piness which develops into com
)lete prostra;ien. Dropping of the
eyelids and frequently n crossing of
he eyes occur. Loud talk and even
shaking Will not arouse patients suf
'ering acutely with the malady, who
answer iHCOhereLtly to all Inquiries
luG fan Immediately into sleep again.
rhe face is generally colorless and de-
'oid of expression.
Professor Saranelli is a member of
he fpculty Of the University of 3o 4
ogna and was formerly f professor of
nicro-hiolvey and public hygiene at
he University of Montevideo. He
Vas also formerly under secretary of
state for agriculture in Italy,