Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09
DR.. ARMSTRONG ILL;
FEAR PARROT FEVER
Noted Scientist Under Obser-
walton Following Death
of Laboratory Worker.

Dr. Charles Armstrong, noted bac-
teriologist of the Public Health Service,
who has been directing the fight
against psittacosis, the deadly parrot
fever, entered the Naval Hospital yes
terday for tests to determine definitely
whether he has contracted the strange
disease.
DR., Armstrong had complained of a
sore throat end his associates prevailed
on him to go to the hospital.
News of DR.. Armstrong; illness fol-
lowed closely the death yesterday OF
Harry B. Anderson As, an attendant
OF the hygienic laboratory. Anderson.
like DIR. Armstrong, had been examin-
ing sick parrots in q search for the
specific organism responsible for psit-
tacosis, which already has claimed Is
lives in different parts of the country
since its first outbreak at Annapolis a
month ago.
Physicians called to the bedside of
DR.. Armstrong reported to DR.. Hugh S.
Cumming, surgeon-general of the Pub
lie Health Service, that they were in
clined to believe he was not suffering
from the early stages of the malady.
They explained the earlier victims of
the fever had been bothered by head
aches at first. DR.. Armstrong has had
no headache.
Expect to Know Definitely Tomorrow.
The doctors said that since DR.. Arm
strong had been so active in the psit-
tacosis investigation, it was possible that
ne might have contracted the disease.
They agreed it would be necessary to
await development before it would be
81 kaVI L.. u.
than mere sore throat. The ply
s1cians said they would be unable to
tell definitely before tomorrow.
DR.. Armstrong, native of Alliance,
Ohio, has been associated with the
Public Health Service in Washington
since 1915. Since coming here lie has
been widely recognized as one of the
worlds most eminent bacteriologists.
Meanwhile an Associated Press dis
patch from Baltimore declared that
serum made from the blood of persons
having recovered from psittacosis was
rushed by officials of the City and State
Health Departments yesterday after it
had shown according to physicians. good
results in the case of DR.. William
Royal Stokes. health official stricken
with the disease. Use of the serum,
prepared. from the blood of three per-
sons at Annapolis. The first to become
49, AA tAAS OAANCA obotCO, WHO nave re.
covered, was first resorted to in the
case of DR.. Stokes, who was critically in
when 1t was administered. PHYSICIANS
attending him later reported an i'm
provement in his condition.
The serum is being made from the
blood of 10 victims of the disease in
Maryland.
DR.. Stokes was reported last night
still to be In serious condition.
Investigation Is Extended.
Public health officials here also re-
vealed that their investigation had
been extended to include parrakeetS.
love birds and various other types of
small parrots as well as the far more
commonplace large parrots. This ac-
ton was taken after it was learned a
woman in Kansas City, Kans., had
caught the disease from love bird she
had received as Christmas present.
An official Of the Public Health Serv-
ice, who visited the woman, found her
condition to be serious. Before return
ing to Washington he arranged with
DIR. Carl q. Brown, secretary Of the
Kansas Board Of Health and city health
ofhcials Of Topeka. Kans., to attempt
to learn whether any other cases of the
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