Evening star., 1937-06-12
Henry
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antibodies and similar results were
obtained from inmates of Federal
penitentiaries.
Very few Of those tested remem-
bered having suffered from anything
like clinical case Of the malady.
Unlike encephalits and poliomyeli.
tis, this new disease seems to leave
children strictly alone Tests Of
nearly 400 persons in the same in.
stitutions under II years Of age
showed that only per cent hac
the antibodies in their blood, indica
tive OF having had the malady, anc
In these few, the reaction was sc
| weak as to be uncertain.
venereal Link Seen.
It is possible that there was ar
unfair sampling OF the younger ele.
ment Of the population, DR.. Arm.
strong said, or that the human sys.
TEN becomes susceptible to the viru.
only after adolescence. Another pos.
sibility. he pointed out, is that thu
disease is in the nature OF a venerea
infection. A rather high proportion
OF st. Elizabeth's patients and OF
the penitentiary inmates, were known
to have suffered from venereal disease
at some time
When the virus is injected directly
into the central nervous systems OF
monkeys and mice, it causes very
severe illness, usually ending In
death. They can be protected, how.
ever, with the antibodies from the
blood serum OF persons who have had
the disease. This. in fact, is the test
to determine whether one has had
the malady or not.
The probability is, DR.. Armstrong
said, that hundreds have it and
never know it-just as it Is likely
that vast numbers have poliomyelitis
and even encephalitis at some time
but never become sick enough to cal
doctor. Only when the system is
IN just the right condition is the in.
fection likely to become serious.
In the actual cases reported, DR.
Armstrong said, the first evidence.
OF the disease were superficially in.
dstinguishable from a bad cold, U.s.
ually accompanied by headache. II
is an experience common to nearly
everybody every year or 50. II i,
clears up in day or so, no furthe,
attention is paid to it. The only
permanent effect Is that the anti
bodies are formed in the blood.
There Is also evidence, DR.. Arm
strong said, that there may be four
or five strains Of the virus.
1t was possible to f1nd 1t in almost
alyl human tissues. Very likely, DR.
Armstrong said, the disease may be
wrongly diagnosed by attending
physicians as encephalitis or poliomye-
lits. or even spinal meningitis.
So FAR as known there are no bad
| after effects, such As follow the other
central nervous system infectiye dis
eases.
Ticks Cause Paralysis.
A peculiar paralysis caused bv the
bite OF wood tick and most often
affecting children was described by
DR.. Edwin J. Barnett OF Spokane,
Wash.
THE child" he said, "awakens In
the morning feeling entirely well,
However. as soon as he attempts to
stand alone he collapses. Within a
few hours. walking, and even stand
ing with support, become impossible,
because OF the progressive and increas-
ing muscular weakness. It Is generally
difficult for the child to fed itself
After few hours self-feeding becomes
impossible
The treatment, he said, is speedy
removal OF the tick. Unless it is
found and removed quickly the paraly-
sis will continue until the muscles that
control breathing are affected and the
child dies. Prompt removal is followed
by complete recovery in about 48 hours.
Surgery now gives good relief for
that form Of facial neuralgia known
as major trigeminal neuralgia, DR..
Francis c. Grant Of Philadelphia re-
ported. No one ever has found, Dr..
Grant said, an adequate cause for the
dreadful pain Of this disease which
appears as abruptly as q flash OF
lightning. lasts for one or more Sec
onds, and ceases as abruptly as it ap-
pears.
A trigger zone" frequently exists
DR.. Grant said. This is a small area
lying in the distribution OF one Of the
three branches of the nth cranial
nerve, irritation Of which causes pain
to fash through the entire side OF the
face. Thus" he continued, "the slight.
est touch of hair OF the mustache
on one side of the upper lip will cause
a paroxysm of pain over the upper lip
nose and forehead. When a patient i
attacked. talking, eating, shaving, OF
any contact with the face may caus,
. spasm.
This form OF neuralgia usually oc.
ours after the nftieth year. he said
and more commonly In women thar
men. The attacks never come a
| night. The diseaSe Is prone to attach