Montana oil and mining journal., 1938-03-19

decreased, while in those where it has
remained extensive, particularly IN
range country, 1t has usually continued
about the same and in some instances
has increased. The best example OF
decreasing prevalence is IN the snake
river valley of southern Idaho, where
there were formerly several hundred
cases a year-now less than so. The
outstanding example of increasing
prevalence is eastern Montana, where
spotted fever was rare before 1914; but
has since been gradually increasing.
There were over 100 cases in 1895.
This increasing prevalence has been
at least partly due to the progressively
more intensive distribution of the tick
of development. Ticks are now very
numerous in parts Of eastern Montana
where they were unknown 20 years
ago."
Tick fever cases are divided into
several types, ambulatory and abortive
cases on the one extreme and on the
other, Illuminating ones with an early
Termination, DR.. Parker states In the
former, mild cases, the patient has
low fever, the rash is scanty and may
be scattered or localized, and the pa
tient is not i'll enough to remain in
bed. These cases last about two weeks.
In the abortive cases, the disease be-
gins suddenly with high fever, but
lessons rapidly in severity. Recovery is
complete In a few days.
In the Illuminating cases, patients
die in from three to five days.
Symptoms Are Given
The incubation period of spotted
fever is from two TO five days in more
severe cases, though in the less severe
infections 1t may be from three to IA
days. Common symptoms are a distinct
chill, sweating, pronounced backache,
frontal and occipital headache, eyes
sensitive to pressure, pain in the upper
abdomen, pains in the bones and
muscles, nose bleed, nausea and
vomiting.
Study Of the causes and remedies
Of tick fever has been conducted in |
tenSively at the Hamilton laboratories /
since they were constructed by the |
state Of Montana in 1928, and partic- |
ularly since they were sold to the fed
eral government In 1881.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever has
been recognized as a distinct disease |
since 1890, but the first account of the |
disease was written by w. w. Wood, |
surgeon general in the United States |
army IN 1896.
According to a report published by |
the Montana state board of entomology /
in 1881, 1t Is known that two cases of 1
spotted fever occurred in the Bitter
Root valley in 1873, and that the In
dams were not immune to the disease.
Launch Investigation
The first actual investigation Of the /
disease began in 1902, when DR.. A. F.
LongeWay, secretary of the state board
of health, succeeded in interesting the
Minnesota state board of health and
the University of Minnesota In the
disease. DR.. L. B. Wilson and DR.. w.
M. Chowning Of the University Of
then began the study OF the
mysterious sickness, financed by the
Montana state board of health. The
two physicians arrived in Missoula in
May, 1902. They were Joined later by
DR.. F. F. Westbrook of the University
Of Minnesota and DR.. j. Q. Cobb, Of
the United States public health and
marine hospital service They obtained
records and data on the disease that
spring, and returned in 1903 to conduct
further studies. The result Of their
studies was to point the finger Of sUs-
picion at the wood tick, Instead of
Infection through the water supply, and
10 attract the attention Of numerous
other scientists.
Several other workers spent sone /
time In the study Of the disease prior