Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-11-09
The Rabbit Fever.

With the rabbit season opening on the
10th OF November, DIR. r. H. Riley, Director
of the State Department Of Health, advises
handlers and hunters to be on guard against
sick or infected animals. carriers Of the
disease known as "tularemia" or 'rab-
bit fever" The disease is also known in
some parts of the country as deer fly
fever"
Three cases of rabbit fever were reported
to the States Department during the first
six months Of this year, one each from
Washington. Talbot and Kent county, and
four from Baltimore City. There were
probably others. DR.. Riley said. that were
not recognized as "tularemia."
"Tularemia," Dr. Riley said, gets its
name from Tulare County in California
where it was first studied 10 1910 by DIR.
G. W. Mccoy, of the U. S. Public Health
Service. in connection with an investiga.
ton of a pleague- like outbreak amOnI
ground squirrels. 10 1919, DIR. Edward
Francis, also of the Public Health Service
and his assistants. while investigating an
outbreak of deer fly fever" among the
residents of certain sections of Utah. found
the desease that was affecting humankind
to be identical with the outbreaks previ.
0usly investigated among squirrels
incidentally. while engaged in the
study. DR.. Francis became infected and
contracted the disease himself He recOv.
cred and has continued his study OF the
disease in various parts Of the country
His discoveries Of the SOU ces Of the dis
ease and the methods of transmission have
won recognition for him as the out, landing
authority on the subject. At the recen
| rnaatind NJ he A ,naricaa MadicaI Aaaoci
alton in Minneapolis. he was awarded the
| gold medal annually conferred for the mos
important contribution Of the year TO medi.
cal science.
THE animals susceptible to tulaTemii
include in addition to wild rabbits. hare
and squirrels, rats field mice, the chip
munk, OpOssum. wOOkchuck and others o.
the smaller animals. The infection spread
from animal to animal and is carried from
animals to human beings in three ways
by the bite of ticks with which tn Sc ami
mails are frequently infested by the bit,
of certain species Of fly and by direct in
lection Of the dressed animals. The ma
jority of the cases that have been inves
tigated have been traced directly to the
handing Of infected animals by hunters
or in dressing infected rabbits for the table
or for the market. Of twenty-five casei
that occurred in the city of Washington
the records of the U. 5. Health Service
show that seventeen Of the patients haC
dressed wild rabbits bought or sold in the
market: four had dressed rabbits shOt
nearby. and one had dressed rabbit killed
with club.
THE disease in human beings is accom-
panied by a typhOid-like fever Of two OF
three weeks duration with great prostitution
and slow cOnvalescence. Usually an ulcer
develops at the site Of infection, accom-
panied by enlargement Of the lymphs glands
which drain the ulcer The diagnosis may
be confirmed by blood test. Should sus-
pected cases be found in the counties Of
Maryland. the laboratories Of the State
Department Of Health is prepared 10 make
the necessary tests and will do so at the
request Of the local or Deputy State Health
Officer. or the family physician.
First discovered in California. in 1910
the disease has since that date been re-
ported in thirty-nine States and also in
Japan. In this country. New York. Della
ware. the New England States. Washington
State, and Wisconsin, are the only sections
in which II has not been observed. About
five hundred cases have been reported
with twenty deaths. The disease occurs
principally among wild rabbits II has not
been found among rabbits raised in rab-
bitries. Thorough cooking Of the meat
destroys the germ. Thoroughly cooked rab-
bit is accordingly harmless"