New Britain herald., 1923-02-26
MORE OF SLEEPING
 SICKNESS REPORTED
Meriden Has Several. Others Are
 Ill About State

MeFiden, Feb, s6, - William I
 Mueller, who is at the Merlden hos
 nital suffering with eRoephalitis leil
 aTgia, sometimes called sleeping sick
 nessn is in a very serious condition
 Dr, II. A. Aleeks, who is atlendin
 him, called Dr. George Rlnmsr of AeN
 Haven in consultation Saturday, an
 that famous diagnoslleian agreed fni
 ly with DT, Meeks as 10 Mir, Mueller
 ailment, and the treatment which h
 is receiving,
 DF, Meeks, in speaking of his pa
 iients condition last evening said hi symptoms are just like those deseflh cd in the few publications whlet treat Of this disease, about whlei comparatively little IS known Ael eording 10 authorities from go 10 2 per cent of the eases prove fatal, II is impossible 10 tell whether or mol inc patient is improving The diseast ls progressing. while practically all inc time Mir, Mueller is in n state oi somi-eoma. Everything possible is being done for him. and fl is hoped that he will soon begin 10 improve
 Caused by Germ
 pr. Nneks said the disease is appar- ently caused by germ, which causes inflammation Of the eneephalis, which is the gray matter Of the lower part of the brain. Pathologists are eoh- tinually working upon the problem, trying to locate the germ, just as they are looking for the germ which causes meningitis which Is an inflammation of the meninges. or the three mem branes which cnvelop tho brain.
 pr, Meeks said Dr. Blumer said there are at present seven cases in the New Haven hospital and prae- fically every consultation in which he has been called for the last two weeks has been in connection with a case or encephalitis.
 Five Gases Here
 At the present time there are live known cases Of the disease in Meri- den. Four Of them are at the Meri- den hospital, and one, who was at the hospital for nearly two weeks was re. moved to his home yesterday.
 Besides Mir. Mueller, those in the hospital are George Pereault of North Broad street, who has been at the in- stitution three or four weeks. It isl reported that at times he seems 10 Brighten up for a while, and then re- lapses into the state of semi-coma, which marks the disease. The other two arrived at the hospital last eve ming one being Mrs. Hawkins of 196 Lewis avenue, and the attendant at the hospital said she did not know the hame of the other new arrival.
 BafTling Disease
 This makes five well defined cases here. There is woman at the hos pital, whom it was feared might have the disease, and she was under ob- servation for symptoms for a time. Her continued improvement during the last eight days, has caused the hospital authorities to no longer con- sder her as victim of the disease
 This disease is as baffling to the physicians of the state as was the epi- demic of infantile paralysis which pre- vailed here six or seven years ago. They hardly know how to advise peo- pie to guard against it. It sometimes follows influenza but frequently it fol- lows other infections MT. Mueller's illness began with a mild case of in- fuenza, and then developed into en- 
 Observe Health Rules
 Doctors advise persons to take pre- cautions against colds which may de- velop into grip or influenza, All should observe ordinary health rules.
 It is not known how contagious the disease is but two of the Meriden cases originated on North Broad street. Mir. Pereault, who is now in the hospital with the disease resides at 1o45 North Broad street. Joseph Serruto, son of MT. and Mrs. Rosario Serruto of 1O77 North Broad street is in a serious condition. He was taken from the hospital yesterday afternoon because his parents said they wanted him to be at his home. The fact that these two serious cases are near neighbors may lend strength to the theory that the disease s contagious or infectious.
 Is Not Epidemic.
 Dr. Stanley Osborn, commissioner If health of the state of Connecti- ut. was called by telephone and ,sked last evening if he had any tatement to make regarding the prevalence of encephalitis in the state t the present time. He said
 T do not consider that there is any pidemic of the disease in the state. Ne are having about the usual num- ,er of cases we have each year at his time. Each spring we have an increase in the number of cases.
 ''The disease has been recognized nly since 1916 or 1917, and since hysicians have been required to re- ort cases, the records show that we ave larger number at this time of he year than at other times. I think he cases now being reported may be onsidered the usual spring increase i cases of this kind" In answer to the question as to that this disease was called before he name encephalitis was discovered, IT. Osborn replied
 ''There is no doubt but that some ases of encephalitis were considered s phases of infantile paralysis or .rebro spinal meningitis. There is milarity as the nervous system is fected in any of them, and only ithin the last few years have physi- ans been able to distinguish between le three."