Indiana daily times., 1922-01-17
NEW ORIENTAL
MALADY ENTERS
UNITED STATES
Secretary of Labor Takes
Action to Check Spread
of Infection.
PHYSICIANS BAFFLED
n,l DEf1- -E,f-Tr5, EDr-T.rFa nl-a~

Special to Indiana Daily Times
and Philadelphia Public Ledger.
WASHINGTON, Jan 17.-An Oriental
disease, battling to medical science. IN
known heretofore in this country. has
been brought into the United States by
thiry-twO Chinese merchants nov IN
California. An application in behalf Of
fifty three additional merchants for ad-
mission has led - a disclosure of official
facts about the strange malady. They
are reproduced exclusively in this dis
patch.
According to official correspondence
passing between Secretary Of Labor Davis
and Surgeon General Cummings. of the
L. S. Public Health Service the disease,
cl0norchiasis will not be '-unduly pre-
judicial to the public health so long as
there is strict obedience to precautionary
measures adopted respecting the Chinese
afflicted with it. The Orientals were ad-
mitted by the port authorities because
they were not newcomers to the United
States, having resided here previously
RESTRICTIONS
FOR AFFLICTED.
The Shinese merchants were permitted
by Secretary Davis to land under bonds
Of $1,000 each on condition they were to
reside in buildings, the plumbing Of
which was connected with sewers empty
ing IN salt water, and also that they
were to be treated continuously and al
inspector was TO visit them every twenty
four hours to see that they remained in
residences assigned 10 them.
You can readily understand, doctor,
that am deeply interested in these cases
and in the general subject of the disease.
Secretary Davis stated in a letter to
Surgeon General Cummings. II nols
from your letter TO the commissioner OF
immigration that the disease is rather q
new thing in medical history and -
practically unknown in the United States.
Also that It is 4 parasite disease con-
sisting Of a small worm or fluke which
locates lin the bile passages Of the liver
and that 50 for no treatment has been
found which is in any wise effective, and
for that reason is classified in the regu-
lations governing medical admission Of
aliens as dangerous contagious disease,
although it is possible you say that 4
patient so afflicted. after removal Of the
possibility of reinfection may tree him
self of the injecting agency.
''INalsO note that you state its spread
is accomplished through the medium of
fresh water snails and certain species OF
fish that may eau such infected snails,
and that while fish ordinarily are not
eaten in the raw state in this country,
there are those, nevertheless, who con-
sumo both meat and fish not thoroughly
cooked.
Also, that under the conditions ordin-
ariiy obtained in sea ports wherein
sewage is discharged in the salt water,
the probability Of the spread of the il
fection is not great Also, that the deten-
tion of a limited number Of the cases
under appropriate custodian restraint at
any immigration station for the purpose
Of treatment and observation, would not
be unduly prejudicial to the public health
Of the country, and that under such cir
cumstances your burean win be pleased
to make a study Of the cases in order 20
ascertain the cure of the disease by drugs
and other treatment. and also to detel-
mine the possibility OF recovery Of the
cases through the automatic elimination
Of the Injecting parasite"
COVER NlfFN-T To