Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-07-11

believe that within the next few years
this new vaccine will entirely super
sede the older product.
Before leaving the subject of spotted
fever it is of some interest to note
that during the past decade the i'm
portance of Rocky mountain spotted
fever as health problem has increased
far beyond any possibilities that were
foreseen in 1921. and it has now be-
come national problem rather than
one OF interest to only the west. This
increased Importance followed the dis
covery Of case of Rocky mountain
spotted fever in Pennsylvania in 1890.
This was the first conclusive evidence
that spotted fever occurred east of
the Rocky mountain region, and dur
ing the next few years it was found
That the disease was of widespread &C.
currence in the central and eastern
states. In fact, in some seasons, more
cases of spotted fever occur in the
states of Virginia, Maryland and North
Carolina than in most of the western
. states.
Bitter Root Maligned
Another point of interest is that it
Is now apparent that the Bitter Root
valley was much maligned in earlier
years because it was supposed to be
the only area where Rocky mountain
spotted fever was so highly fatal. 1t
Is now known that the same highly
fatal type of the disease occurs all
along the western edge of Montana
all over northern Idaho, and in the
eastern edge of Washington. Also areas
OF almost equally severe infection are
known in Oregon and Wyoming.
1t used to be favorite paStime when
cases of spotted fever occurred in other
states to claim that the disease had
been introduced from Montana. That
day has gone by, for it is now generally
recognized that spotted fever was for
merry about as widespread as it is
now. This is probably as true in the
eastern part of the country as in the
western. However, it is fair to state
that In the west, at least, there has
been an intensive spread as the result
OF ticks being carried to parts of the
west in which they were formerly un-
known. This has largely been brought
about by activities related to the set
Element of new areas and the resultant
bringing of ticks to sections in which
they were previously unknown. This
intensive spread may be expected tc
continue for some years.
Another aspect Of the Rocky noun
tain spotted fever problem is the exag-
gerated popular fear of the disease
which far exceeds that of other seri.
GUS diseases which are far more preya-
lent. Actually the incidence of spotted
fever is very low compared with that
of many other infections, some OF
which are acquired by means that are
equally insidious.
! While work on Rocky mountain spot.
ted fever and the manufacture Of the
preventive vaccine Is still the mos
Important phase Of the work Of thu
Rocky Mountain laboratory. present
activities involve q number of othel
diseases.
TulAxAemia Problem
One Of these diseases Is tularaemia
an infection which was almost un.
known 20 years ago. but which now Liz,
spotted fever has become q problem
Of national interest.
Tho Rocky Mountain laboratory be.
came interested in this disease In tn
early twenties, incident to work On
Rocky mountain spotted fever vher
It was Uncovered that tularaemia
often called rabbit fever. u also car.
rtod b. ttcks. Although this diseas,
= Les fatal than spotted fever, tn
nna0 b usually Of Considerable dura.
tan end recovery = slow. Oonddsrahl,
work On this infection has bon car
nd On during ths pat 10 ysax4 an<