Evening star., 1933-06-05

work IN the IOreSLe Wnere tlckS are
abundant 1t make it necessary to
promulgate stringent regulations that
the men be examined daily for ticks, it
was explained
Practically all the Rocky Mountain
spotted fever work is carried on at the
Public Health Service laboratory at
Hamilton, Mont This was the property
of the State Of Montana. with Public
Health Service officers detailed for ser
vice there, until last year when
spurred by the outbreak in the East and
the spread of disease in the West
the late Senator Thomas J. Walsh OF
Montana obtained an appropriation by
which the laboratory was purchased
by the Federal Government and new
buildings provided for The buildings
are now underway. With fully equip
ped plant it was expected that produc-
ton Of the vaccine could proceed at
greatly increased rate. until the Pub
lie Health Service was confronted with
the appropriation cut. The superin-
tendent Of construction of the new
buildings, according to word received
today, has just been taken sick with
spotted fever.
Production Speeded.
The production has been speeded up.
DR.. Thompson explained, from 12.8
liters in 1928 to ITS liters in 1888. But
this Is not enough even to meet the
demands Of the Rocky Mountain area.
It is far from sufficient, DR.. Thompson
said. to permit general vaccination even
in the badly infected areas in the west
h> rorS0ng eS-
pecially liable to tick infestation VINO
are unable to adequately examine them
selves. such as cowboys alone on the
range and employees Of the United
States Forest Service who must go
alone into the national forests.
1t is also used where there has been
a definite outbreak of spotted fever IN
some limited locality. Although 1t could
i'll be spared. little has been allotted
to the Eastern area.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever has
been dealt with solely by the Public
Health Service since its discovery as
clinical entity about 80 years ago. The
vaccine was developed at the cost OF
several lives, in 1928. 1t Is made from
the gromd-up bodies Of infected ticks.
It's manufacture is so dimcult. costly
and dangerous that nobody else will
tlUQcTtdkc Luc JOu dh0 VIC N10'~A~AA~>>>~S
has the sole supply.
Problem Is World Wide.
The decrease in the appropriation
comes Just as Rocky Mountain spotted
fever is being found to be worldwide
problem. It has been found In Brazil
and along the Mediterranean. The first
case has Just been reported from Paris
DR.. E. Brumpt, celebrated French med
ical entomologist, visited the Montana
laboratory this Spring. He was vac
cinated, but give only one dose because
it made him very sick. He took some
of the infected ticks back to Paris
with him for study, but soon came down
with the disease. He Is making q good
recovery. but has appealed for vaccine
for his laboratory workers.
The reduction in the funds allotted to
epidemic work also means that the
guard set up against the introduction
into California of bubonic plague, the
black death of the Middle Ages must
suffer. The funds have been reduced
more than so per cent. 1t Is known
that the black death virus is present In
California ground squirrels, but 1t has
been kept back by rigid hunt against
these. The plague Is present in Hawaii.
The news that the epidemic preven-
ton appropriation has been cut comes
simultaneously with the meeting here
of the health officers of the United
States and Canada, who are presenting
reports on the status of sease-preven-
ton work during the depression. They
reported cuts in appropriations in many
States. especially for child welfare work.
Frank Hubbard 80, Of 316 Quacken-
bos street, was the first spotted fever
victim in the District this year.
Mr.. Hubbard. a market specialist Of
the Department of Agriculture, Is be-
lieved to have received the virus of the
mysterious disease about two weeks ago
while on q visit in Anne Arundel Coun-
ty. Md. Returning from q walk he
found two dog ticks on his body, but
pulled them OF and forgot about them.
About a week later he suddenly became
i'll, with all the symptoms of spotted
fever. He summoned DR.. Frederick H.
Morhart, 1704 Sixteenth street, the
family physician, who made the dag
noSis.
Mr.. Hubbard grew worse rapidly and
soon passed into state of delirium.
which ended with death. There is no
known cure for the disease and all that
can be done Is to take measures to con-
serve the victims strength. hoping that
the body itself will throw of the invad-
ing organism.
There Is no evidence, it Is explained
by Public Health Service physicians, that
there are any virus-carrying ticks in
Washington, although they exist in the
nearby village of Somerset, Md. No case
positively has been established as hav-
ing been contracted here, the physicians
explain, and it has a mysterious
tendency to center in certain limited
areas, which it does not transcend dur
ing q season. Thus the famous Bitter
Root Valley in Montana has an ex-
one end, while at the other end, only q
few miles away, no case ever has been
rerorted