The New York herald., 1921-02-17
SLEEPING SICKNESS
NOW WORLDWIDE;
NO ALARM IS FELT
Simple Preventive Steps
Outlined by Officials to
Combat Malady.
AMERICA HARDEST HIT
New York Leads Report of
Cases Found in Many
Northern Cities.
SCIENCE Is MYSTIFIED
Wednesday Adds One Death
and Eight New Cases to
New York Roll.
SCIENCE is MYsTIFIED

Although sleeping sickness or en-
cephalitis lethargica, a disease of
which medical science knows very lit
tie, again appears to be unusually
prevalent in Europe and the United
States, DR.. Royal s. Copeland, Health
Commissioner, said last night that
there was no occasion for public alarm
on the part Of this city because Of
tho number of cases that have de-
veloped In New York.
while the present situation Is seri-
GUS and should not be despised by
any means" said the Health Commits
sioner. 1--WE feel that We will be able
to cope with 1t. The disease is not
contagious in the ordinary sense. This
is proved by the fact that out Of more
than 500 cases reported in New York
city last year only In two instances
was second case found where one
had been previously reported"
Health authorities In other Ameri-
can cities in which, according to re-
ports received by THE New YORK HER
AID. the present epidemic, or pandemic,
appears to be more severe than in
Europe take the same view assumed
by Dr. Copeland. They are urging the
people to take all possible preventive
measures, but at the same time they
are pointing out, and emphasizing the
fact that there Is no need for alarm.
The principal things to remember, the
health authorities say. are to keep
away from persons with colds. keep In
the open air AS much as possible. dress
warmly and keep away from crowds.
ssth Death Here Yesterday.
The cities In the northern United
States have been particularly hard hit
by tho disease this winter. and New
York heads the HIST The forty-eighth
death and the 18TH case since January
/ were reported yesterday to the local
Health Department. Tho days total
was 108 new cases The death was that
of William Lorton. years old, OF 1877
Devoe street. Brooklyn. It was the sec
ond this week.
Boston reports comparatively iittio Of
the disease in New England this year.
There have been twenty-eieht cases In
the city Of Boston, but many of these.
it is reported. came from outside OF the
city for treatment. Massachusetts has
made the disease reportable for the first
time.
pa ta f,od Id
compared with New York the death rate
has been low. Only twelve have died.
Scranton. Pa, with a population OF
about 10000. reported two deaths yes
terday and more than a dozen cases
under treatment. There have beon
three deaths altogether in that city.
Springfield, Mass. another compare
lively small city. has had ten cases
and two deaths. In Detroit twelve per-
sons have died since the first of the
year. In 1890 there were fifty-four
deaths. There are eighteen cases OF
the disease in Cleveland, an increase
of eight in two weeks. Total deaths
are nine.
Cincinnati has but one case which
has positively been diagnosed as sleep
Ing sickness. This is that OF man
who has been III In the General Hos
pltal since January 49, His condition Is
not serious. Physicians at the institu-
ton. however. said that four weeks ago
there were twenty cases OF the disease
In the hospitals. from which four
deaths resulted.
that has developed In the vicinity of
IIar - nrA a1
day from West Hartford. The patient
is Sidney Livingston. a war veteran.
whose condition was at first thought to
be the result OF poison gas. He Is ex-
pected TO recover. The Connecticut
state health officers have instructed
all local departments to report all cases
promptly.
Traced 20 vienna. 1919.
And while the death toll piles up and
reports OF new cases keep coming In
doctors arc vainiy seeking TO find tho
true source OF the strange epidemic.
In a paper on the History. Pathologic
and Clinical Features and Epidemi-
ology'' OF sleeping sickness. Or. Simon
FTexner, who is perhaps tho best au-
thority in the country on tho disease.
states:
"1t appears that the first case recog-
nizcd I'm the United states occurred In
the winter OF iels-isis. At present the
disease IL a widely distributed one and
cases have been reported from many
States.
'T, Is possible 10 trace cases of
Ietharric or epidemic encephaljtis now
arising In this country, 70 an outbreak
which occurred IN Vienna and neigh
boring parts OF Austria In the winter
OF 1915 Cases occurred In England and