THE NEW SICKNESS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 207, 27 May 1919, Page 6

THE NEW SICKNESS

DECLARED TO BE NOTIFIABLE

CASES IN WELLINGTON

Referring to the sickness—lethargic oncophnlitis—wliich is reported to have made its appcnrance in the .Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury districts, tho Minister of Pu'blie Health (tho Hoi). G. W. Russell) stated yesterday that tho Department hud been watching for indications of tlip disease sincc tho beginning of the month. On May 1 Dr. Watt, District Health Officer at Wellington, Had forwarded a report to the Chief Health Officer regarding tho sickness, and the District Health Officer at Christchurch had also forwarded a report regarding a cose at Ohoka.

Tho Minister announced that it had been decided that tho disease be declared notifiable, and tlio necessary stpps had been taken for this purpose. Tho Department was issuing a bulletin for the information of hospital medical superintendent? and the medical profession generally, containing information from one of the reports of the British Health Department. The Minister said that tho infectivity of tire disease was low.

Two or three suspicions cases are at present in the hospital at Wellington. It is reported by tho Health Department that the symptoms are similar to those for cerebrospinal meningitis, and, in fact, the first two eases to appear were notified as "C.S.M."; diagnosis uncertain. The disease, it would appear, is similar in character to infantile naralysis, and (hero is also a possibility that it is related to the 'mysterious "X" disease reported in Australia last year. Indeed, there is 'a possibility that it is the same sickness.

I»t. Watt, District Health Officer, speaking to a reporter about tho disease, said that, it had often in the past been associated with outbreaks of influenza, the first recorded outbreak having oc-' ctirred in Tubingen, Germany, in 1712, when it went l>v the minis, of sleeping sickness. In 1890, after the > influenza pandemic of tho previous two years, there were outbreaks of whati appeared to be tho same disease in Northern Italy and HungaiT. The diseaso wis then known as "nona,* apparently a popular corruption of "coma.". Cases had been'reported in England last year. First of all it was believed to be due to the bacillus botulinus, found in such foods as pork and sausages, but this was found not to be the case. A cable message from Amarica a week ago stated tlint sleeping sickness was prevalent there. Thjero was no reoord from England of many cases being reported there now. The sickness is infectious,-but not highly infectious, and there have 'beon no recorded cases of more than one member of, one household being affected. Dr. Wn'tt said that in England the mortality was not high.