Evening star., 1927-05-22
MEDICAL MEN CITE
OBSTINATE MALADI.
Little Progress in Conquest
of EncephaIitis, or "SIeep-
ing Sickness" Reported.

Slow progress toward conquest of
one Of the most obstinate of brain
maladies-encephalitis or inflammation
Of the brain--was reported to the
nervous disease section of the Ameri-
can Medical Association at the Raleigh
last week.
This disease often is called sleeping
sickness" although it is entirely diff
ferent from the African sleeping sick
ness caused by the bite of the tsetse
f1y. It's mortality rate runs as high
as IS per cent and frequently it leaves
those victims who survive permanent
ly crippled or with impaired minds,
The most hopeful sign of progress
was reported by DR.. Walter J. Free
man of the staff OF St. Eliza beth's Hos
pital. who has isolated what he be-
lieves TO be the germ of the disease
and with it prepared both serum and
a vaccine This has been used on seven
patients with excellent results. Two
others died. DR. Freeman reported, be-
cause of a complication OF diseases.
True Cause Still i'm Doubt.
Dr. Freeman was frank i'll saying
he did not know whether the true
cause had been isolated. Several other
methods of treatment have yielded
almost equally good results, leaving
the value of the serum as specific
open to question. The Washington
doctor believes, however. that he is on
the right track. a similar serum has
been devised at the Mayo clinic, which
has given good results. but IN ooth
ca ses il is not known whether the re-
Sult is due to the efficacy Of the drug
as an antitoxin or to the shock 1t pro-
duces.
DIR. Freeman urged continuous treat
ment of encephalitis after recovery
rom the crisis to prevent recurrence
Mental symptoms Of encephalitis
sometimes precede physical, DIR. lrV-
ing j. Sands of Brooklyn reported.
He recounted several cases. where VIC
Tins had first come under his onsef-
walton suffering from what apparently
was maniac depression. a form of in
sa anity, who afterward of developed
physical symptoms Of encephalitis. One
man was brought in who had at
tackled 4 woman on the street. lie
had forgotten all about the incident
fy the time police took him to the
hospital for observation But after
ward a somewhat similar attack came
over him. Ten days later he became
Unconscious and died The autopsy
showed a clear case Of encephalttis.
School Mistress Also a Victim
4 Young school mistress. he said,
had first n severe sore throat. which
was followed Il few days later by
an unreasonable fear of death. The
case was diagnosed rs maniac de-
nressvc. There were no symptoms
of physical disorder. But suddenly
she became violently insane, ler tenn
nerature went up to lea. and she
died
Encephalltjs in another woman
started with burnin-: sensation in
the eyes. after which She insisted
she could not see. although there OBJ
viouslv was no organic blindness.
Three days later she became very
violent In similar eases, DR.. Sands
said, the diagnosis of encephalitis is
not made before the victim goes en-
the autopsy table.
Other Cases Described.
A temporary condition similar to
apopleXy. caused by a lowering OF
blood pressure SO that a sufficient sup
ply does not reach some portion of
the brain, and which probably often
has been diagnosed as apopleHy, was
reported by Drs. Howard w. Fleming