Evening star., 1940-08-20
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study
, BIZ Thomas r. Henri.

S%Hu Stuuy
By Thomas r. Henry.
In the first World War thousands Of
soldiers on both sides were i'll of trench
fever-an obscure disease believed by
many physicians to have been low
grade typhus.
In many cases it may have been a
misdiagnosis Of a much more alarming
condition-chronic meningococcic septi-
cemia-it is reported by the British
medical service in the Lancet, of1icial
journal Of the British Medical Associa-
ton, just received here.
In the army in Flanders alone before
the big German pusch, report Col. Ar
mold w. Stott and Maj. w. s. c. Cope
man, they found 81 cases of this obscure
malady in routine examinations OF sick
soldiers, and the actual incidence is
probably much greater. The disease is
due to the meningococci, the same germ
which invades the Innings Of the brain
and spinal cord and causes the dreaded
cerebro- spinal meningitis which, up to
a few years ago, was almost death
sentence. But, it has been known In the
past the meningococcus sometimes is
found in the upper respiratory passages
Of persons who suffer no Ill effects. The
central nervous system has a strong
natural defense system which holds back
the threatened invasion.
Less we'll known is the fact that the
germ sometimes gets into the blood
stream and remains there for weeks or
months without being able to cross these
defenses. Eventually it either is elimi-
mated by the body itself or actually gets
into the brain. AS it increases in num-
bers in the blood it causes wide va
riety of symptoms which often do not flt
into any particular pattern.
The onset OF the malady, say the two
British medical officers, usually is sud-
den. The soldier reports to medical
station complaining Of fever, chills and
severe migratory pains in the joints and
muscles. In few days pink or red
blotches break out over the skin, espe-
cially over the legs, arms and back. These
blotches usually are sore. The patient
complains that he has blind boils.
In few days the rash disappears and
the soldier may seem entirely recovered.
1t soon recurs. however. accompanied
by the same chills and fever. AS each
crop Of blotches vanish they leave q
brownish discoloration to the skin.
The fever may be intermittent. re-
curing at regular intervals like malaria,
or the outbreaks may be irregular. Be-
tween attacks the patient feels we'll and
there is no weakness or loss of weight.
This in itself, the British officers point
out, Is dangerous. since a soldier Is not
likely to go to physician unless 1t is en-
tirely convenient to do so during an at
tack The fever is severe, ranging from
101 to los degrees.
Col. Stott and Maj Copeman do not
believe this is a new condition in the
army. In the past, they say, 1t prob
ably has been diagnosed many times as
rheumatic fever, low-grade rheuma-
tism, or influenza and the patients re-
turned to duty as soon as the temporary
crisis was over. Back in the ranks they
became sources of infection to all their
comrades-many of them without ade-
quate nervous system defenses-so that
they were stricken with actual cerebro-
spinal meningitis. There were several
outbreaks of this in American Army
camps during the last war and an epi-
demic was considered by medical officers
as about the most serious condition that
could arise among men living in crowded
quarters.
The condition can easily be diagnosed.
they say, by examining the blood for the
easily identified meningococci 1t can
usually be cured completely in "a hours
by heavy doses of sulfanilamide. the
greatest single innovation in military
medicine in the interval between the
two wars This also is more or less ef-
fective against cerebro-s spinal menin-
gifts itself.
The meningococcic septicemia. the
British officers warn, is condition
which should never be neglected among
troops, since at any time it NAV cause
or start widespread epidemic.
The condition was first reported in
the United States about 40 years ago,
and since then there has been occa-
sional reports in medical literature in
both America and Europe. 1t has been
considered extremely rare. Judging
from the experience in the B. E. F.,
Col. Stott and Maj. Copeman say, it is
probably much more frequent than is
generally supposed in the civilian popu-
lation. 1t may spread rapidly in the
close contacts of army life. such as were
necessary during the brief, hectic cam
palgn in Flanders. Outbreaks Of men,
ingitis are among the most feared possi-
bilities in Europe this winter with the
natural resistance of the population
possibly reduced by malnutrition.