MYSTERIOUS DISEASE FROM MICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3165, 17 August 1917, Page 6

MYSTERIOUS DISEASE FROM MICE

.DOCTORS CANNOT TRACE THE CAUSE. Although the outbreak of skin disease among men engaged in handling tho mouse-infested wheat has not reached serious dimensions, the subject (states tho "Ago") is causing uneasiness, especially in country wheat centres, where quite a number of cases have been reported. Several sufi'erors—men and children—have been brought to Melbourno from country districts, and a few workmen who have been l employed on the wheat stacks at AA'illinmstown have been admitted to the Alfred Hospital.

Local medical skin specialists, so far, have not been able to trace tho actual cause of this contagious trouble, although it is attributed by them to diseased mice. According to a prominent hospital dermatologist, there are several diseases which can be acquired by handling mouso infected wheat. These are impetigo, a condition causing skin sores, ringworm and favus. In regard to the former, tho cases dealt with at 'Alfred Hospital were both from the country and city, and necessitated their being incapacitated for a month and over. These; patients had largo swellings on the beard area,' a condition which might be compared to a serious form of wliat is known as "barber's rash." The dermatologist who had charge of these cases considered it exceedingly suggestive that 'they were infected by somo germ on tho mice which he and others had not yet located. While not desirous of causing alarm, he suggested that workmen employed on mouseinfected wheat stacks could use some sort of antiseptic on the portions of their body which are exposed and liable to infection. Ringworm on the arms appears to bo fairly numerous amongst wheat stackers.

Cases of favus amongst children from the country are being treated by.a suburban specialist, the. disease in his opinion having been contracted by handling mouse-infected straw, wheat, or playing with dead mice. Favus is a contagious vegetable parasite disease of the stein, characterised by piri head to pea sized friable cup-shaped yellow crusts, tending sooner or later to form coalesced, mortar-like masses. The scalp is the usual place first attacked, .and permanent baldness may result from the worst type of cases. Fortunately men are not verv liable to contract favus, but according to a well-known English dermatologist it is not by any means of very rare occurrence.